ABSTRACT
Infection of the external meatus, most commonly bacterial, e.g. Staph. or Pseudomonas. Clinical features: pain and tenderness over the ear, mild discharge, and sometimes deafness. Failure of acute OM to resolve may lead to chronic OM with persistent discharge and worsening deafness. Classified as active (presence of infection) or inactive, and by whether there is a perforation or presence of cholesteatoma (growth of squamous epithelium in the middle ear). Collection of serous or viscous fluid in the middle ear. Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the paranasal sinuses. More commonly acute but in a small proportion of cases which do not resolve, it becomes chronic. The site of bleeding is commonly Little’s area (a plexus of vessels on the anterior part of the nasal septum). Normally no cause is identified but causes include trauma, clotting disorders and anticoagulant therapy.
