Intracranial complications of chronic otitis media in patients admitted to Imam Khomeini hospital, Ahvaz, south of Iran

ntroduction: Recently, intracranial complications of chronic otitis media (COM) have been significantly decreased due to prompt diagnosis and proper use of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to investigate the etiology and incidence of intracranial complications of chronic otitis media. In this descriptive study, between 1995 and 2007, patients with signs and symptoms indicative of intracranial complications were followed clinically. Among 560 patients admitted with COM, 8 patients had intracranial complication. All of patients were men. The mean age was 30.05 years. Otorrhea exacerbation, fever and headache were the most common presenting symptoms. The most common complications were epidural abscess, brain abscess, cerebellar abscess and meningitis respectively. Although nowadays, intracranial complications after COM rarely occur, they should be strongly considered in patients with symptoms such as fever, headache and otorrhea exacerbation.