THE FREQUENCY OF OTOGENIC COMPLICATIONS AT THE MODERN STAGE OF MEDICINE (CASE REPORTS)

Acute otitis media (AOM) is one of the most common diseases in the world, especially in children. The incidence of the disease reaches about 80%. Mostly, inflammation of the middle ear is a concomitant condition of acute respiratory viral infection, which, at the same time, can cause many life-threatening complications. Complications of AOM are diverse and are classified as acute and chronic. Acute complications, which are classified as intratemporal and intracranial, are much more unpredictable and have severe consequences. The variety of complications is determined by the anatomical location of the structures of the middle ear. Their proximity to brain tissue, cranial nerves, brain sinuses, and neck muscles. The described cases are quite diverse. The only thing in common is that the AOM was at the forefront of the developing processes. Patients represent a wide age group from 5 to 64 years. One of the presented patients was middle-aged and practically healthy before the onset of OM. The oldest had controlled type II diabetes, and the child had clinical signs of hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal tonsills and recurrent otitis media in the previous period of the disease. The analysis of the cases allows us to draw the following conclusions: (1) to increase the level of knowledge of specialists who first receive such patients and should give the right direction for further management. (2) to develop new antibacterial therapy regimens for acute otitis media, both in terms of combinations of antibiotic groups and dosage. (3) to provide timely, adequate treatment with assessment of results and drawing the right conclusions. Frequent monitoring, such as, a telephone call is enough especially during the first days. The specialist should consider the moment when myringotomy is indicated.