Acute mastoiditis in the newborn is a very rare disease. Herein we report a case of a 28-day-old child with right aural atresia and ipsilateral mastoiditis requiring mastoidectomy. To our knowledge, this is the youngest case reported in the literature. Issues on diagnosis and management of mastoiditis in cases of aural atresia are further discussed. Based on our experience and on previous reported cases we conclude that mastoiditis is difficult to diagnose in a child with aural atresia. Moreover, mastoidectomy may be necessary, although identification of the facial nerve and consequent treatment of the atresia are usually too difficult to perform simultaneously.
Educational objectives: To understand facial nerve anatomy and likely sites of pathology and to develop a management plan for acute facial nerve injury.
Disorders of the facial nerve. Anatomy, diagnosis and management. Edited by M. D. Graham and W. F. House. 242 × 160 mm. Pp. 552 + xxiv. Illustrated 1982. New York: Raven Press. £85.68
