Abstract
The author reported 10 cases of the intracranial complication of otitis media who were observed in the Clinic of Oto-rhino-laryngology in Hirosaki University Hospital during the two year period from 1958 to 1959. They were 1 otogenous meningitis, 5 otogenous sinus phlebitis and 4 otogenous brain abscess.
Discussing these cases from several viewpoints especially the symptom manifestation, bacteriology, treatment, morbidity, mortality and statistics, the author summarized as the conclusion of this report in the following description:
In the antibiotic era, the following remarks were reported as the main alterations that was seen in the clinical picture of the intracranial complication of otitis media. (1) Decrement of the cases of the otitis media, Particularly its severe form. (2) Decrease in the morbidity and mortality of the intracranial complication of otitis media due to the application of Sulfonamides or Antibiotics, especially Penicillin. (3) Poor symptom manifestation perhaps due to the masking effect of these new therapeutic agents.
But now, considering the literature and the author's own cases who were reported in this paper, the author noticed that the second alteration was beginning in their clinical picture in the most recent days, and concluded that this facts are important in the field of the diagnosis and treatment of otitis media and its complication. They are:(1) Increasing difficulty in the diagnosis of this disease, due to the masking of the symptoms that is carried by the inadequate usage of many antibiotics. (2) Tendency to the increment of these diseases in the most recent days. (3) Marked diminution of the effect of the Penicillin. (4) Alteration of the etiological microbes and its sensitivity (or resistance) to several antibiotics.
