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Mastoiditis

Samantha Carroll, MD and Chantal Soobhanath, Medical Doctor Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

Mastoiditis is an inflammatory process of the mastoid bone. It is most commonly seen as a complication of acute otitis media (AOM). 

DESCRIPTION

  • Clinical manifestations of mastoiditis typically a...

DIAGNOSIS

Clinical exam or from CT scan; clinical findings including redness of the mastoid area, with anterior protrusion of the affected ear, ear drainage 

HISTORY

  • Most common symptoms in infancy

    • Letha...

TREATMENT

  • IV antibiotics and myringotomy (± tympanostomy tubes) is the preferred treatment for uncomplicated acute mastoiditis (reflecting a shift away from more invasive surgical treatment).

  • To avoid ...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Oral antibiotics for 3 weeks following course of IV antibiotics (total duration of antibiotics is 4 weeks or longer for intracranial complications)

  • For chronic mas...

REFERENCES

1
Favre N, Patel VA, Carr MM. Complications in Pediatric Acute Mastoiditis: HCUP KID Analysis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021;165(5):722-730. doi:10.1177/0194599821989633
2
Kaufmann M, Shett...

CODES

ICD10

  • H70.90 Unspecified mastoiditis, unspecified ear

  • H70.009 Acute mastoiditis without complications, unspecified ear

  • H70.099 Acute mastoiditis with other complications, unspecified ear

  • H70.10 Chro...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Suspect mastoiditis if symptoms of AOM persist >2 weeks despite a normal-appearing TM.

  • Temporal bone CT is the best diagnostic tool, use only when mastoiditis is suspected to limit r...

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