Five succinct key points:
1. Patients with NOE often have medical comorbidities which require
concurrent optimization to improve outcomes.
2. A novel grading system of otoscopy and CT scan findings presented
herein provides an objective measure and common language with which to
describe extent of NOE.
3. Initial outcomes data suggest selected patients make a good recovery
with short course intravenous antimicrobial therapy as compared to those
on long course intravenous antimicrobial therapy but an appropriately
powered randomized trial is needed to confirm non-inferiority.
4. Limited surgical debridement provides an opportunity for histological
and microbiological testing in cases refractory to initial management or
persistent physical signs.
5. Multidisciplinary involvement – in particular with microbiology and
radiology is essential to optimize management.