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Case Reports
. 2019 Apr;16(2):559-563.
doi: 10.1111/iwj.13012. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Acute otitis externa because of negative pressure wound therapy applied over the head and ear canal for scalping treatment

Júlio C D Castro  1 , Pedro S Coltro  1 , João L G Jorge  1 , Jayme A Farina Junior  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Acute otitis externa because of negative pressure wound therapy applied over the head and ear canal for scalping treatment

Júlio C D Castro et al. Int Wound J. 2019 Apr.

Abstract

Scalping is considered a complex wound with difficult treatment, requiring early surgical intervention, reconstructive plastic surgery, and a multidisciplinary team. The reconstruction of the scalp frequently requires a combination of therapies, including temporary coverage, such as negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Complications of NPWT, such as bleeding, infection, and pain, have been described. However, there is no report of acute otitis externa (AOE) because of NPWT. In this article, we present an unprecedented clinical case - a female patient who developed AOE after scalping treatment with NPWT applied over the head and ear canal. We consider that it may be a result of the direct physical action of subatmospheric pressure, the presence of dressing covering the external meatus, and alteration of the bacterial population.

Keywords: acute otitis externa; negative pressure wound therapy; scalp reconstruction; scalping.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Upper, left: Scalping lesion after debridement; upper, right: negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) covering both ears; lower, left: NPWT covering right ear canal; lower, right: NPWT covering left ear canal
Figure 2
Figure 2
Left: Wound bed preparation after negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) treatment; right: split‐thickness skin graft over scalping lesion
Figure 3
Figure 3
Six months’ postoperatively, with stable coverage of the scalping lesion
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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