Acute otitis media

Background

• Peak incidence: 6-18 months of age
• Etiology
  • Viral (70% of cases)
  • Bacterial
    • S. pneumo (50%)
    • Nontypable H. flu (30%)
    • Moraxella (30%)

Diagnosis

1. Acute onset (<48hr) AND
2. Middle ear effusion AND
3. Signs of middle ear inflammation
4. Notes
   1. Middle Ear Effusion: bulging TM, impaired TM movement, otorrhea, or air/fluid level
   2. Middle Ear inflammation: erythema of TM or otalgia

DDX

Common

• Acute otitis media
• Chronic otitis media
• Serous otitis media
• Foreign body in external ear canal
• Otitis externa

Less common

• Accidental trauma
• Oral cavity disease (referred pain)
• Cholesteatoma
• PTA

Rare

• Mastoiditis
• Brain abscess
• Lemierre syndrome
• Herpes zoster oticus

Management

1. Analgesia
   1. Acetaminophen/ibuprofen and topical benzocaine (unless perforated TM)
2. Antibiotics (See also AAP Guidelines below)
   1. Indications:
      1. Age <6mo
      2. Ill-appearing
      3. Recurrent acute otitis media (w/in 2-4wk)
      4. Concurrent abx tx
      5. Other bacterial infections
      6. Immunocompromised
      7. Craniofacial abnormalities
   2. Wait-and-see antibiotic prescription
      1. If symptoms worsen or persist x48-72 then family fills the Rx
   3. Agent
      1. Amoxicillin 80-90mg/kg/day divided into 2 daily doses x5-7days
         1. 1st line
      2. Amoxicillin/Clavulanate
         1. Consider if symptoms persist >72hr after amox begun
         2. Clavulanate increases vomiting/diarrhea
      3. Azithromycin
         1. Consider if penicillin allergic
      4. Ceftriaxone
         1. Use if cannot tolerate PO

AAP Guidelines

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Complications

1. Mastoiditis
2. Meningitis
3. Brain Abscess
4. Lateral Sinus Thrombosis

See Also

Otitis Externa

Source

1. Tintinalli