Tuberculous otitis media is a variable and puzzling infectious disease which may remain undiagnosed or confused with other acute or chronic middle ear conditions if appropriate diagnostic studies are not performed. Among the common clinical findings are insiduous onset of painless watery drainage, severe hearing loss, multiple perforations of the tympanic membrane and subsequent appearance of profuse granulation tissue. As the disease progresses destruction of the middle ear conductive apparatus, facial paralysis, cochlear involvement with labyrinthitis and further hearing loss, and finally intracranial dissemination of infection may occur. The case histories of two patients recently treated at Mount Sinai Hospital illustrate some of the clinical problems encountered with this disease.
