Journal
ANNALS OF OTOLOGY RHINOLOGY AND LARYNGOLOGY
Volume 119, Issue 5, Pages 313-318Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/000348941011900507
Keywords
actinomycosis; encephalitis; meningitis; petrositis; temporal bone
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Funding
- NIDCD NIH HHS [K08 DC009288] Funding Source: Medline
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS [K08DC009288] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
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Objectives: Actinomycosis is a rare disease with a typically indolent course in the head and neck. During the modern era, only 12 cases within the ear and temporal bone and 75 intracranial cases have been reported. We present a case of actinomycosis of the petrous apex that led to meningitis and encephalitis. Methods: The patient was a 12-year-old girl who presented with mental status changes. After 48 hours of treatment with empiric antibiotics for meningitis without improvement, imaging revealed an enhancing mass in the right petrous apex, destruction of the cochlea, meningeal enhancement, and left temporoparietal encephalitis. Results: The initial therapy included broad-spectrum antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral agents, as well as myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement. When the patient's clinical status worsened, she underwent subtotal petrosectomy with drainage of the petrous apex. The final pathologic findings were consistent with actinomycosis. Conclusions: Actinomycosis is a rare infection in the temporal bone and central nervous system that can have a high mortality risk if not treated appropriately. Often, these bacteria do not grow well in culture, and diagnosis must be made on the basis of histopathologic features. Good clinical outcomes can be obtained with surgical debridement followed by long-term antibiotic treatment.
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