AI Article Synopsis

  • - Mastoiditis is a rare but serious infection of the mastoid cells that can occur from untreated otitis media, particularly in children, due to their increased susceptibility.
  • - Despite the low incidence of mastoiditis thanks to antibiotic therapy, children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may face a higher risk due to limited healthcare access.
  • - A reported case highlights a pediatric patient who developed bilateral mastoiditis, which resulted in hospitalization and hearing loss, emphasizing the need for better healthcare access and education for parents on recognizing and treating ear infections.

Article Abstract

Infection of the mastoid cells, known as mastoiditis, can develop due to untreated otitis media, in which bacteria colonize the mastoid air cells that line the inner and middle ear. Antibiotic therapy for otitis media has made the development of mastoiditis a very rare occurrence. However, despite its low prevalence, it is important to keep this complication in mind when treating otitis media in the pediatric population due to the increased susceptibility of mastoiditis in this demographic. Furthermore, pediatric patients of lower socioeconomic status who have limited access to health care may be at an even greater risk for the development of mastoiditis. We report a case of a pediatric patient with significant barriers to health care who developed bilateral mastoiditis as a complication of otitis media, requiring hospitalization and intravenous antibiotic therapy. The patient also experienced hearing loss as a sequela of the infection. Improved access to medical care, parent or guardian education on how to recognize primary otitis media infections, and the use of adequate antibiotic therapy when indicated can effectively prevent the development of mastoiditis following otitis media infections among patients.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10022915PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.7759/cureus.35113DOI Listing

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