Background: Otogenic Brain Abscess (OBA) is a life-threatening complication secondary to otitis media, but its appropriate management remains controversial.
Objectives: To understand the demographic characteristics, management, and variables that affect the outcomes of patients with OBA based on our experiences over 11 years.
Material and methods: Clinical data were collected for 41 patients. Prognostic factors associated with mortality were assessed, and clinical outcomes compared among groups receiving different treatments.
Results: Among the 41 patients, 19.6% did not undergo surgery, 39.0% were treated with two-stage surgery (otological surgery and neurosurgery) and 41.4% were treated with single-stage surgery (otological surgery or neurosurgery). Overall mortality rate was 32.5%, and mortality was significantly higher in patients with invasion of the petrous apex (odds ratio [OR]: 7.81, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.26-48.36), and lower in those with appropriate surgical management (single otological surgery, OR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0-0.97; single neurosurgery, OR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.02-1.0; two-stage surgery, OR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01-0.64) or a higher Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at admission (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.44-0.93).
Conclusions and significance: Data on invasiveness and pre-surgery GCS greatly aid in predicting the prognosis of OBA patients. Early evaluation will facilitate decision-making by physicians treating OBA patients.
Keywords: Otogenic brain abscess; clinical outcome; different treatment; risk factor.