OBJECTIVE:Malignant otitis externa (MOE) is an uncommon but potentially fatal disease of the external auditory canal. The study aimed at evaluating the demographic profile, coexisting disabilities, clinical presentations, and management of MOE MATERIALS and METHODS:This is a retrospective study of patients with MOE who were treated at the Otorhinolaryngology Department of our institution. The case records of patients treated between 2006 and 2013 for MOE were reviewed from the Medical Records Department of the hospital. The details were tabulated in a master chart, and the data were analyzed. RESULTS:Fifteen patients with MOE were treated as inpatients at the Otorhinolaryngology Department of our hospital during the study period. Of these, 12 were males and three were females. Among the 15 patients, 14 were diabetic and one was non-diabetic. Earache was the most common symptom observed in all patients; edema and granulations in the ear canal was the most common sign observed in 12 patients. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in 11 patients. All patients were managed medically with intravenous antibiotics.CONCLUSION: MOE is a rare but aggressive condition affecting the external ear, which is commonly observed in elderly diabetic individuals. Immune senescence may be the cause of MOE in elderly people. Pseudomonas is the most common causative organism isolated in this condition. Most of these patients can be managed with medical treatment; reserving surgery only for the removal of granulation tissue and for histopathological examination.

Presence of air column between DNS and concha excludes the etiological role of concha in DNS. Concha bullosa may predispose to sinusitis.

Mucormycosis is an opportunistic fungal infection that often affects the nose and paranasal sinuses. The disease prevalence was very high in India during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, thereby raising public awareness about this disease. The general practitioners were updated about the disease characteristics and the requirement for emergency management. Yet, in some instances, the treatment was inadequate due to delayed presentation and low affordability for treatment. The mucormycosis of the ear, on the other hand, is a rare occurrence that demands meticulous study for early diagnosis and management. Here, we discuss the case of a patient with mucormycosis of the middle ear.