Mastoiditis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ogheneochuko Ajari, MB.BS, MS [2], Faizan Sheraz, M.D. [3]

Mastoiditis Microchapters
Home
Patient Information
Overview
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
Causes
Differentiating Mastoiditis from other Diseases
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
Screening
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
Diagnosis
History and Symptoms
Physical Examination
Laboratory Findings
X Ray
CT
MRI
Ultrasound
Other Imaging Findings
Other Diagnostic Studies
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Surgery
Primary Prevention
Secondary Prevention
Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy
Future or Investigational Therapies
Case Studies

Overview

Mastoiditis is the infection of mastoid ear cells in the process of temporal bone. It is mostly a complication of ear diseases such as Acute Otitis Media and chronic otitis media, and it tends to occur in children. However after developments of antibiotics acute otitis media complications have decreased significantly.

Gallery

• 
  Picture of a right mastoidectomy, surgeon's view. Note the blue color of the skeletonized sigmoid sinus.
• 
  Picture of a left mastoidectomy, surgeon's view.
• 
  In this left canal wall up mastoidectomy, the tympanic membrane has been elevated forward and a cholesteatoma sac is visible in the attic.
• 
  This patient has a recurrent cholesteatoma which has found its way to the surface of the post-auricular skin, forming a mastoid cutaneous fistula.
• 
  This cholesteatoma sac has eroded the lateral surface of the mastoid bone and was found immediately under the post-auricular skin.
• 
  Left canal wall down mastoidectomy.This patient had a modified radical mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty. The posterior bony canal has been removed and part of the dry "mastoid bowl" is visible posterior and superior to the reconstructed tympanic membrane .
• 
  Magnification of the previous picture .

Further Reading

• Durand, Marlene & Joseph, Michael. (2001). Infections of the Upper Respiratory Tract. In Eugene Braunwald, Anthony S. Fauci, Dennis L. Kasper, Stephen L. Hauser, Dan L. Longo, & J. Larry Jameson (Eds.), Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine (15th Edition), p. 191. New York: McGraw-Hill
• "Mastoiditis" (July 30, 2003). MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.