Differential diagnoses of psoriasis
M. Alan Menter, Caitriona Ryan in Psoriasis, 2017
Otitis externa is characterized by inflammation of the external ear canal epithelium.91 It is usually multifactorial.91 Clinically, it presents as inflammation of the external ear with varying degrees of pain, erythema, edema, itch, hearing loss, and discharge.91 It may be acute or chronic and not unusually occurs in patients with coexisting eczema, psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis, or as a result of an infection with bacteria or fungi.91,92 Environmental factors such as humidity and moisture may be predisposing factors.91 Otitis externa is commonly observed in swimmers (Swimmer's ear).91,92 It can also be seen secondary to trauma from scratching and aggressive ear cleaning.91 Histopathology shows acanthosis, elongation of rete ridges, and an increase in orthokeratosis and parakeratosis.91 Spongiosis occurs in eczematous and seborrheic forms.91
External Ear
James R. Tysome, Rahul G. Kanegaonkar in Hearing, 2015
Otitis externa generally presents with pain and discharge. On examination, the skin of the ear canal is swollen and the tympanic membrane is often obscured by a combination of swelling and debris. Aural toilet (microsuction) may be required to remove this debris in order to allow effective treatment, which is generally with topical antibiotic drops or sprays; these often include a topical steroid. Occasionally, the causative organism may be fungal, in which case hyphae and spores are sometimes visible in the ear canal. In this situation it may be necessary to combine meticulous aural toilet with a course of antifungal drops lasting up to 4 weeks, as the drops are only active against growing fungi and not their spores. During treatment of the infection it is important that the patient takes precautions to keep water out of the ear when showering, bathing or swimming.
Otitis Externa and Otomycosis
John C Watkinson, Raymond W Clarke, Christopher P Aldren, Doris-Eva Bamiou, Raymond W Clarke, Richard M Irving, Haytham Kubba, Shakeel R Saeed in Paediatrics, The Ear, Skull Base, 2018
The principles of treatment of otitis externa are as follows: thorough and regular aural toilettopical medication to the external auditory canal, with or without a wickanalgesiatreatment of regional and/or systemic complications with systemic antibioticsprevention of aetiological factors that could lead to exacerbation or recurrence. Expert opinion is divided on the role of routine swabbing of the ear in otitis externa. Most otolaryngologists tend to reserve microbiological investigation for resistant or high-risk cases.5
Otic drug delivery systems: formulation principles and recent developments
Published in Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2018
Xu Liu, Mingshuang Li, Hugh Smyth, Feng Zhang
Many diseases can affect any of the three main compartments of the human ear. The major diseases are summarized in Table 2. Otitis externa is the most common disorder of the outer ear [60]. It affects the ear canal, with or without infection. This inflammation is usually generalized throughout the ear canal and can affect the outer ear. It can be subdivided into acute (less than 6 weeks), recurrent acute, and chronic (more than 3 months) [16]. Acute otitis externa is a common clinical problem encountered in general practice. It results from either a bacterial infection (90% of cases) or fungal infection (10% of cases). In certain cases, it may also be associated with a variety of noninfectious dermatologic processes [61,62]. Symptoms include ear discomfort, itchiness, discharge, and impaired hearing.
A novel approach to a recalcitrant case of psoriatic otitis externa
Published in Acta Oto-Laryngologica Case Reports, 2023
N. J. McInerney, M. Riglar, P. Casserly
Otitis externa is one of the most frequently encountered conditions by otorhinolaryngologists. The majority of cases resolve after one week of topical antimicrobials, with or without steroids [11]. Patients with symptoms beyond two weeks should commence on alternative management strategies. The latest clinical practice guidelines recommend that after initial treatment failure, the patency of the ear canal should be reassessed to ensure adequate drug delivery, and addressed with aural toilet or wick placement if necessary [12]. There are no recommendations for further treatment options if this is unsuccessful.
Multiple myeloma of cranium with external ear canal swelling and occipital mass: A rare case report
Published in Acta Oto-Laryngologica Case Reports, 2022
Salla Kellberg, Goran Kurdo, Mika Kontro, Saku T. Sinkkonen
Despite having a large mass of scalp, our patient had rather minor symptoms. Also, initially, the MM’s diffuse occipital swelling did not draw the attention of the clinicians, and the symptoms were treated as otitis externa. Finally, as the standard treatments for otitis externa did not resolve the symptoms, the patient was referred to the university hospital otorihinolaryngologic clinic. There clinical examination and needle aspiration of the ear canal mass lead to imaging, which lead to correct diagnosis.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Ear Canal
- Hearing Loss
- Inflammation
- Outer Ear
- Allergy
- Autoimmune Disease
- Psoriasis
- Ear Pain
- Pathogenic Bacteria
- Hearing Aid