Acute Matoiditis in children is not common in this antibiotic era. But at times children are brought to clinic with this potentially dangerous ear infection.
Mastoiditis is an infection of the spaces within the mastoid bone. It is almost always associated with otitis media an infection of the middle ear. In the most serious cases, the bone itself becomes infected.
The mastoid is a part of the side (temporal bone) of the skull. It can be felt as a bony bump just behind and slightly above the level of the earlobe. The mastoid has been described as resembling a “honeycomb” of tiny partitioned-off airspaces. The mastoid is connected with the middle ear, so that when there is a collection of fluid in the middle ear, there is usually also a slight collection of fluid within the airspaces of the mastoid.
Mastoiditis can range from a simple case of some fluid escaping into the mastoid air cells during a middle ear infection, to a more complex infection which penetrates through to the lining of the mastoid bone, to a very severe and destructive infection of the mastoid bone itself.
Diagnosis
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, the physician inspects using an otoscope the outer ears and eardrums of the child. Imaging studies are used to confirm diagnosis. A CT of the ear may show a fluid-filled middle ear and an abnormality in the mastoid bone. Audiograms can also be performed to assess hearing loss..
Treatment
Intravenous Antibiotics are typically the first course of action in treating mastoiditis.. Surgery to remove the affected portion of the mastoid bone (cortical Mastoidectomy) is performed if conservative treatment fails.
