Chronic suppurative otitis media and complications in patients presenting at the ENT clinic, UCH

Abstract

Otitis media is the inflammation of the mucoperiosteal lining of the middle ear cleft. Chronic otitis media may follow/ result from inadequately treated acute otitis media. Other predisposing factors include: socio-economic status, poverty, overcrowding, malnutrition, anaemia, recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, mechanical obstruction in the nasal cavities and allergy. Otitis media continues to be one of the most common conditions seen in ORL practice. Complications arise when infection spreads from the middle ear cleft to structures which it is normally separated from by bone. In the developed world, it is generally believed that the incidence of complications of C.S.O.M has decreased significantly with antibiotic treatment but the mortality from intracranial complications is still high. In our country, the incidence of the complications is not known; it is likely to be very high. This is particularly true because,of poverty, ignorance, preference for traditional remedies and religious beliefs.