Medical management of chronic suppurative otitis media without cholesteatoma in children

Abstract

Tympanomastoid surgery is considered standard management for chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) without cholesteatoma, which is unresponsive to ototopical/oral antimicrobial therapy. The following makes this sequence of management less attractive today: 1. potential ototoxicity of ototopical agents; 2. lack of oral antimicrobial agents effective against most common pathogens (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa); 3. frequent occurrence in children who have tympanostomy tubes; and 4. failure of tympanomastoid surgery to eradicate the disease in all cases. We conducted a study in 36 pediatric patients with chronic suppurative otitis media, in which all received parenteral antimicrobial therapy and daily aural toilet (mean duration of treatment = 9.7 days). Thirty-two patients (89%) had resolution of their infection with medical therapy alone; four children required tympanomastoidectomy. Further investigation is needed to understand the etiology, pathogenesis, and most effective methods of management/prevention of CSOM in children.