Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media

5 Pages 1246 Words

Chronic suppurative otitis media, by definition, is an infection of the middle ear with a discharge that lasts for 2-6 weeks and exits the middle ear space through a puncture in the tympanic membrane. (Acuin, 2002) This is not to be confused with chronic otitis media, which has a tympanic membrane perforation that is dry and does not involve a discharge. When there is a discharge that, in spite of treatment, will continue for 6 or more weeks the infection will be considered suppurative. (Ronald, 2002) This paper will focus on the occurrence of chronic suppurative otitis media; its acquisition, progression, treatment/management and some of its complications.
Studies have shown that chronic suppurative otitis media has a frequency of occurrence, in children 15 years of age and younger, of 39 cases per 100,000 persons. (Parry, Roland, 2002) 1-3% of these occurrences are caused by ventilation tubes that were used to treat a recurrent otitis media. Gender does not seem to have much to do with this disorder; but race does play a major role. Due to a wider and more open eustachian tube 8% of Native Americans and 12% of Eskimos are troubled by chronic suppurative otitis media. (Parry, Roland, 2002) Although, chronic suppurative otitis media does not result in death, some of its complications are exceedingly dangerous and possibly lethal.
There are several ways in which chronic suppurative otitis media could be acquired. A person could develop this middle ear disorder as a consequence of a previous infection that was either left untreated, was treated unsuccessfully or incompletely. (Ronald, 2002) The infection could start of in the outer ear and make its way into the middle ear through a puncture in the tympanic membrane. It could also originate in the nasal cavity and by means of the eustachian tube travel to the middle ear. Chronic suppurative otitis media could also be a relapse of otitis media in a more severe form. (Deitmer, 2002)
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