Objectives: To determine the immediate post-operative course and outcome
of pediatric patients with complicated acute mastoiditis (CAM)
undergoing simple mastoidectomy. Study Design: A retrospective chart
review of children diagnosed with CAM who underwent a mastoidectomy
during 2012-2019. Setting: Tertiary care university hospital.
Participants: 33 patients were divided into two groups: 17 patients with
subperiosteal abscess (SPA) alone- single complication group (SCG) and
16 patients with SPA and additional complications (sigmoid sinus vein
thrombosis, perisinus fluid/abscess, epidural abscess)-multiple
complications group (MCG). Main Outcome Measures: post-operative data
were collected. Demographics, microbiology data, inflammatory
parameters, hospitalization length, and POF pattern were recorded,
compared, and analyzed. Results: Of 162 acute mastoiditis patients,
33(20.4%) underwent surgery due to CAM; 17(51%) and 16(49%) belonged
to the SCG and MCG, respectively. 6/17(35.3%) SCG patients experienced
POF vs. 12/16(75%) in the MCG (P=0.012). At post-operative day 2
(POD2), 10/13(77%) febrile patients belonged to MCG and 3/13(23%) to
SCG (P=0.013). POF was recorded until POD6 in both groups. Seven
patients, all from MCG with POF, underwent second imaging with no new
findings; A total of 18 positive cultures were reported. Fusobacterium
necrophorum counted for 8/18(44.5%) of all positive cultures,
7/9(77.8%) in the MCG vs. 1/9(11.1 %) in the SCG, P=0.004.
Streptococcus pneumoniae was reported only in SCG (5/9, 55.5%, vs. 0/9,
P=0.008). Conclusion: Post-mastoidectomy fever due to CAM is not unusual
and seems to be a benign condition for the first 5-6 days following
surgery. MCG patients are more prone to develop POF. F. necrophorum is
more likely to be associated with MCG, and S. pneumoniae is common in
SCG patients. Keywords: Mastoiditis, post-operative fever,
complications, microbiology
Fusobacterium necrophorum, an emerging pathogen of otogenic and paranasal infections?
