Physical Examination still has the Leading Role: A Case of Bezold's Abscess

Abstract

Introduction: Although Bezold’s abscess is rarely seen as a complication of acute otitis media and mastoiditis in the antibiotic era, the number of reported cases has increased in the last 2 decades. Case Report: In this case report, we present a young man with a large Bezold’s abscess, which extended to his lower chest after 2 weeks of misdiagnosis. He underwent surgical treatment along with antibiotic therapy. He was discharged home after 2 weeks in a good condition.Conclusion: We emphasize on the role of having a high index of suspicion for Bezold’s abscess and performing a detailed physical examination in patients with signs and symptoms of acute otitis media and mastoiditis. It is better to have a low threshold for obtaining a computed tomography scan in these patients and diagnose the early stages of this potentially fatal condition

Keywords

• Bezold’s abscess, acute mastoiditis, acute otitis media, external ear agenesis, physical examination

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