Mohd Khairi Md Daud

Background and Objectives: Simultaneous bilateral facial nerve palsy (FNP) is rare. Traumatic and nontraumatic causes have been demonstrated. This study was performed to determine the prevalence and outcomes of bilateral traumatic FNP.Subjects and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed temporal bone fracture (TBF) cases from 2010 to 2019. Number of patients and each patient’s characteristics were obtained using the hospital coding system.Results: A total of 336 TBF cases were identified, among which 316 (94%) were unilateral and 20 (6%) were bilateral. Among these 20 cases, five (25%) developed bilateral FNP, all resulting from bilateral TBF and accounting for 1.5% of all TBF cases. Four of these five patients experienced delayedonset bilateral FNP, and one patient experienced immediate onset on one side and delayed onset on the other. All five patients developed incomplete FNP, with the most severe case scored House–Brackmann grade IV. Longitudinal TBF was the cause in all but one case, which resulted from mixed fractures on one side. All five patients were treated conservatively with oral steroids and physiotherapy.Conclusions: Although bilateral traumatic FNP is rare, it should be suspected in all cases of bilateral TBF, and close follow-up is required to achieve rapid diagnosis and enhance management. Because bilateral TBF strongly tends to be longitudinal, incomplete FNP is typical.

Skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) is a rare and lethal infection of temporal bone, uncommonly caused by purulent otitis media. Although uncommon, a young and immunocompetent person is not exceptional to develop SBO as in our case. We reported a case of SBO in a young, immunocompetent gentleman who presented with right otorrhea associated with fever, trismus, headache, and neck stiffness, which was unresponsive to oral and topical antibiotics. Examination revealed fullness at the right mastoid tip with no evidence of mastoid abscess, trismus, with restrictions of neck movements. Otoscopy of right ear showed mucopus with 10% anterosuperior tympanic membrane perforation without keratin or granulation tissue. Pus for culture and sensitivity grew Klebsiella pneumonia and computed tomography (CT) showed osteomyelitic changes with associated parapharyngeal collection. The patient was started on intravenous antimicrobial therapy and responded well to the treatment.

While middle ear effusion (MEE) is a common ailment in children with Eustachian tube dysfunction, it occurs less frequently in adults. In such cases, a meticulous assessment is essential to discern the underlying cause of MEE. We present an unusual case of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak attributed to arachnoid granulation presenting as MEE. A 59-year-old obese female presented with right ear fullness, reduced hearing, and a persistent postnasal drip for 2 years. Audiological testing shows unilateral mild-to-moderate conductive hearing loss in the right ear. Tympanometry assessment revealed a persistent type B pattern in the right ear, indicating persistent unilateral conductive hearing loss. However, despite receiving treatment with nasal decongestants and antihistamines for 2 weeks, no signs of improvement were observed. Subsequently, a right myringotomy and grommet insertion were performed, resulting in the drainage of clear watery fluid that persisted for 2 weeks. A high-resolution computed tomographic scan of the temporal bone revealed the right MEE, bony defect in the right tegmen tympani, and bony irregularities of both tegmen tympani. Magnetic resonance imaging unveiled herniation of the right inferior temporal lobe through the identified tegmen defect. The patient subsequently underwent cortical mastoidectomy, lateral skull base repair, and mastoid obliteration. The histopathological examination of the biopsy taken from the right middle ear tissue revealed fragments of glial tissue with small fragments of trabeculae, which were confirmed by the positivity of the glial fibrillary acidic protein stain. The patient has remained asymptomatic for 10 months following the operation, and her hearing has fully returned to normal. It is advisable to consider CSF effusion as a potential differential diagnosis, particularly among adults aged over 50 years, even in the absence of a history of head trauma, mastoid surgery, or meningitis, when confronted with persistent unilateral MEE.

We present a case of a 68-year-old lady with an insidious progressive history of otorrhea, otalgia, and reduced hearing for 3 months. She was treated for malignant otitis externa and was treated with systemic antibiotic but showed subtherapeutic response to treatment. She underwent examination under anaesthesia and biopsy with tumour debulking of the right ear via posterior auricular approach and histopathological examination revealed squamous papilloma of the external auditory canal. She recovered well after surgery and was asymptomatic during follow-up.