Acute Otitis Media (AOM) Overview

• Acute otitis media (AOM) is an infection of the middle ear, a common problem in children.
• The ear consists of three parts: inner, middle, and outer. Sound vibrations reach the inner ear through the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the nasal pharynx.
• Middle ear cleft includes the mastoid air cells, eustachian tube, and nasal pharynx, allowing for ventilation and pressure equalization.
• Eustachian tube dysfunction can lead to AOM, caused by edema, adenoid hypertrophy, or muscle failure.
• Children are more prone to AOM due to the shorter, horizontally aligned, softer, and smaller passageway of their eustachian tubes.
• AOM progresses through stages: viral upper respiratory tract infection, middle ear secretion buildup, bacterial or viral infection, and possible tympanic membrane perforation.
• Common bacterial agents responsible for AOM are streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pyogenes.
• Suppurative otitis media is a severe form of AOM, characterized by ear discharge and tympanic membrane perforation.
• Otitis media with effusion (OME) is the presence of fluid in the middle ear cavity after AOM, often asymptomatic and self-resolving but a potential environment for reinfection.
• AOM symptoms include ear pain, pyrexia, hearing loss, and discharge. Children may exhibit irritability, reduced appetite, and upper respiratory tract infections.
• AOM diagnosis is confirmed through otoscope examination, showing inflamed, bulging eardrums and limited membrane mobility.
• Treatment includes observation, analgesics, and antibiotics if symptoms persist. In some cases, ventilation tubes or tympanostomy tubes are necessary.
• Complications of AOM include mastoiditis, subdural and subarachnoid abscesses, subperiosteal abscesses, facial nerve palsy, and labyrinthitis.
• Adults can also experience AOM, and treatment is similar. Management starts with observation before antibiotics.

Learn about acute otitis media (AOM), an infection of the middle ear commonly seen in children. Explore the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and complications associated with AOM.