What is the management of malignant otitis externa (also known as necrotizing external otitis) in a patient with Diabetes Mellitus (DM)?

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From the Research

Management of Malignant Otitis Externa

The management of malignant otitis externa (MOE) in patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) involves a combination of treatments, including:

  • Control of diabetes mellitus 1, 2
  • Antibiotic therapy to fight infection 1, 3, 2, 4
  • Debridement of necrotic tissue 1, 4
  • Surgical management in some cases 1, 2, 4
  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) 3, 4, 5

Treatment Response Monitoring

Monitoring of treatment response is crucial in managing MOE, and can be done through:

  • Normalization of erythrocyte sedimentation rate 1
  • Control of diabetes mellitus 1
  • Improvement of computed tomography and radioisotope scanning 1, 3
  • Close monitoring of inflammatory parameters 3

Predicting Patient Outcomes

Several factors can predict patient outcomes in MOE, including:

  • Presence of diabetes mellitus 2
  • Facial nerve palsy 2
  • Positive CT scan 2
  • Age above 70 2
  • Inflammatory markers and Peleg staging 3

References

1
Research

Malignant otitis externa.

The Journal of craniofacial surgery, 2012

2
Research

Malignant external otitis: Factors predicting patient outcomes.

American journal of otolaryngology, 2016

4
Research

Malignant external otitis: a dangerous misnomer?

Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 1982

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