otitis

Inflammation of the ear. [ot- + G. -itis, inflammation]

- adhesive o. inflammation of the middle ear caused by prolonged eustachian tube dysfunction resulting in permanent retraction of the eardrum and obliteration of the middle ear space.

- o. desquamativa o. externa with a copious desquamation.

- o. externa inflammation of the external auditory canal. SYN: swimmer's ear.

- o. interna SYN: labyrinthitis.

- malignant external o. a life-threatening Pseudomonas osteomyelitis of the temporal bone in elderly diabetics that begins with ear pain and swelling of and discharge from the external auditory canal. SYN: Pseudomonas osteomyelitis.

- o. media inflammation of the middle ear, or tympanum.

- reflux o. media o. media caused by passage of an ingested liquid (usually milk) or nasopharyngeal secretions through the eustachian tube.

- secretory o. media SYN: middle-ear effusion.

- serous o. media SYN: middle-ear effusion.

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oti·tis ō-'tīt-əs n, pl otit·i·des ō-'tit-ə-.dēz inflammation of the ear

otit·ic -'tit-ik adj

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n.

inflammation of the ear. Otitis externa is inflammation of the canal between the eardrum and the external opening of the ear (the external auditory meatus). Myringitis is inflammation of the eardrum, often due to viral infection. Acute otitis media is inflammation, usually due to viral or bacterial infection, of the middle ear (the chamber lying behind the eardrum and containing the three bony ossicles that conduct sound to the inner ear). Symptoms include pain and a high fever. Treatment is with antibiotics and sometimes also by surgical drainage (myringotomy). Secretory otitis media (or otitis media with effusion) is a chronic accumulation of fluid in the middle ear, causing hearing loss (see glue ear). Chronic suppurative otitis media is chronic inflammation of the middle ear associated with perforations of the eardrum and in some instances with cholesteatoma. The treatment involves surgical repair of perforations (myringoplasty) or removal of the air cells in the mastoid bone (mastoidectomy). Labyrinthitis (otitis interna) is inflammation of the inner ear causing vertigo, vomiting, loss of balance, and deafness.

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oti·tis (o-tiґtis) [ot- + -itis] inflammation of the ear, often with pain, fever, hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. See also o. externa, o. media, and o. interna. otitic adj