Clarifying the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Uncomplicated Pediatric Mastoiditis.

Introduction: Acute pediatric mastoiditis is a bacterial infection of the mastoid bone most commonly associated with acute otitis media. Complicated mastoiditis is traditionally characterized by intracranial complications or subperiosteal abscess, but definitions are inconsistent in the literature. Surgical intervention is identified as the main treatment for complicated mastoiditis, but there is some evidence to support medical management of uncomplicated mastoiditis. This study sought to clarify the diagnostic criteria and management of uncomplicated acute mastoiditis.

Methods: All cases of acute pediatric mastoiditis were identified from a single institution over a 16-year period and reviewed for demographic and clinical data. Two different definitions of uncomplicated mastoiditis were compared; the traditional one that excluded patients with intracranial complications or subperiosteal abscess (SPA) and the proposed definition that also excluded patients with any evidence of bony erosion including coalescence, not just SPA. Univariate and multivariate analysis was conducted.

Results: Eighty cases were identified. Using the traditional definition of uncomplicated mastoiditis, 46.3% of cases were uncomplicated, compared to 36.2% when using the proposed definition. Truly uncomplicated patients, categorized with the proposed definition, were treated more consistently: no patients underwent mastoidectomy and they were less likely to receive a long term course of antibiotics. On multivariate regression analysis, only categorization with the proposed definition of uncomplicated mastoiditis was independently associated with less long-term antibiotic therapy and non-surgical management.

Conclusion: Uncomplicated acute mastoiditis should be defined using clinical criteria and exclude any cases with evidence of bony erosion, including coalescence or subperiosteal abscess. These truly uncomplicated patients often do not require mastoidectomy and can be prescribed a shorter course of antibiotics. Further research into treatment pathways is necessary to optimize the management of uncomplicated acute pediatric mastoiditis.