Infections in ENT Field
Summarized by Kyung Shik Suh, M.D.

from Current Issues in ENT Infectious Disease  
editor Geroge A Gates, MD  
Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 101:1992 Suppl  


Antimicrobial use in ORL infections: General considerations  
Gerald Medof, MD 

Antimicrobials-on the basis of therapeutic efficacy, toxicity, and cost 

1.restricted - can be obtained only with the control of infectious disease 
               specialist 
2.controlled - automatic 72-hour stop order 
3.nonrestricted(unrestricted) 

· unrestricted drugs 

1.Cephalosporins 
cefazolin sodium 

2.Penicillins 
ampicillin 
amoxicillin 
oxacillin sodium 
carbenicillin indanyl sodium(oral) 

3. Aminoglycosides 
gentamycin sulfate 

4. Miscellaneous 
clindamycin hydrochloride(oral) 
metronidazole 

· Formulary  restrictions,  when  combined   with  strict  enforcement  and 
physician education, can  achieve significant cost savings with  no negative effect on patient care. 


Diagnosis and management of anaerobic infections of the head and neck  
Itzhak Brook, MD, MSc 

Pathogenic anaerobes 

Bacteroides group (Bacteroides melanogenicus and Bacteroides oralis) 
Peptostreptococcus species 
Fusobacterium species 

· Otitis media 

AOM 
90% of the cases - bacteria isolated 
Peptostreptococcus sp. - 1/4 
Mixed with aerobes and facultative bacteria - 1/3 
anaerobes respond to penicillins well 

OME 
40% of the cases - bacteria isolated 
anaerobes 17% of culture + 
26% - mixed 
most Peptostreptococcus and B melanogenicus 

COM with mastoiditis 
about 50 % of the cases 
Bacteroides, Peptostreptococcus, and Fusobacterium 
most produce beta-lactamase 

· Chronic sinusitis 

10% of the cases with acute sinusitis 
2/3   of the cases with chronic sinusitis 
inflammation --> reduced O2 tension --> anaerobic growth 
surgical drainage  after 48 hr  antimicrobial therapy 

· Pharyngotonsillitis 

GABHS -group A beta hemolytic streptococcus 
anaerobes mixed - 74% of GABHS group 
                - 40% of non-GABHS group 
BLPB- beta lactamase producing bacteria: Hemophilus sp, S aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis and Bacteroides 

Penicillin failure - due to BLPB, degrading penicillin 

· Head and neck abscess 

aerobes - 67% 
anaerobes - 19% 
mixed - 14% 

· Acute suppurative parotitis 

anaerobes only - 43% 
aerobes and facultative - 43% 
mixed - 13% 


Antibiotic prophylaxis in clean-contaminated head and neck surgery 
Randal S Weber, MD  David L Callender, MD 


· the drug should be given parenterally in adequate doses before wound contamination occurs 
· use of antibiotics beyond 24 to 48 hr postoperatively does not appear to decrease the risk of infection and increases the risk of superinfection with resistant organisms 


Otitis media update: pathogenesis and treatment  
G Scott Giebink, MD  

· Otitis media continuum 

OME commonly follows AOM and that intractable COM usually follows recurrent AOM and chronic OME 
 - these epidemiological clues suggest that the various types of OM represents part of  continuum of a single disease process 
OM continuum is illustrated by the overlap in types of effusion 

AOM -- 2 wk       -- 40 -70% not cleared 
       2 mo (8 wk)-- 20% still OME 

High risk group - bilateral disease 
                day-care attendance 
                effusion present for at least 4 wk before the presenting 
                AOM episode -----> 80% still OME at 8 wk after AOM episode 

· OM and viral infection 

RS, adeno, and influenza A and B viruses 

· OM and bacterial infection 

antimicrobial therapy 
__________________________________________________ 
amoxicillin 
amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium = Augmentin 
cefaclor = Ceclor 
erythromycin ethylsuccinate-sulfisoxazole acetyl = Pediazole 
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole= Bactrim, Septra 
cefuroxime axetyl = Ceftin 
cefixime = Suprax 
_________________________________________________ 

· Augmentin vs Ceclor 

1. no difference  in the symptomatic relief in 3-6 days of treatment 
2. difference in antibacterial efficacies 
    3% failure rate in Augmentin 
    25% failure rate in Ceclor 
3. impaired distribution of antimicrobial drugs into the middle ear and resulting subtherapeutic concentration of the antimicrobials explain AOM bacteriologic Tx failure 

· Clinical failure after 3 to 5 days of antimicrobial Tx should not necessarily be assumed to indicate infection with a resistant organism: instead, it may suggest failure of the drug to reach effective concentrations in the middle ear. 

· Aspiration of middle ear fluid, a simple office procedure, is important in bacteriologic assessment of children who fail to improve. 


Adenoidectomy and otitis media  
George A Gates, MD,  Harlan R Muntz, MD,  Brendan Gaylis, MD  

· Adenoidectomy 

Efficacy 

2 different theories 
1. Roydhouse, Fiellau-Nikolajsen et al, and Widemar et al - no effect on OM 
2. Maw, Gates et al, and Paradise et al - significant effect on OM 

e.g. Gates et al 
2-yr. follow-up 
 the reduction in morbidity with time spent with recurrent effusion was 
29% with TT only 
38% with adenoidectomy and myringotomy 
47% with adenoidectomy and TT 

the evidence supports the conclusion that adenoidectomy does not modify the natural history of chronic secretory otitis media in severely affected children of 4 years of age and older 
a decision to use adenoidectomy in children in whom other forms of therapy have failed must take into account whether the magnitude of the effect is great enough to be clinically significant 

Indications 

· 1st consideration 

 evidence of efficacy is necessary but not sufficient condition for establishing the indication for a surgical procedure 
 adenoid size does not appear to be the factor 
 submucous cleft palate- in the past surgery excluded the risks and costs of the surgery must be balanced against its benefits 
 tonsillectomy does not appear offer any benefit 

 controversy for indication 
   1.  duration of ME effusion 
   2.  whether persistent effusion 

 Gates et al - even mild conductive hearing loss is a risk factor for impaired development so, indication for the adenoidectomy 

· 2nd consideration 

 after a decision to operate, 
2nd decision regarding tube insertion vs adenoidectomy with or without tube insertion is necessary 

 Gates et al - surgical removal of middle ear effusion, adenoidectomy, and, in most instances, tympanostomy tube placement for children with effusion and hearing loss persisting more than 90 days despite adequate antimicrobial therapy 

 Adenoidectomy should be considered in the primary surgical Tx of older children(4>) with chronic OM with effusion when medical therapy has failed and prolonged observation confirms the persistence of effusion and hearing loss. 

 The role of adenoidectomy in younger children is still under study. 

 The effectiveness of adenoidectomy in prevention of AOM has not been established. 


Antimicrobial prophylaxis for recurrent acute otitis media  
Jack L Paradise, MD  

Rationale 

1. prevention of discomfort 
2. prevention of conductive hearing loss 
3. costs of physician visits and drug therapy. 
4. lost time of both parents and children 
5. anxiety of parents 
6. avoidance of long term sequele of OME and surgical procedures 

Methods 

1. polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine 
2. surgical procedures- myringotomy c/s adenoidectomy c/s TT 
3. antimicrobial prophylaxis 

Caution concerning sulfonamides 

1. sulfonamides - toxic effects 
2. TMP-SMX - long term use is not recommended 
3. sulfisoxazole = Ganstrinâ - no limitation now, but  lack of supporting evidence 

Remaining questions 
unanswered questions: 
1. which drug ? 
2. at what dosage? 
3. appearance of new resistance strains after prophylaxis? 
4. if then, the risk of spread of these resistant strains to other children? 


Current recommendations 
      Ix - children with recurrent AOM 
           =  3 episodes of AOM during preceding 6 mo 
          or  4 episodes  --------------------- 12 mo 
     Drug - Amoxicillin  1. safe 2. low cost 
            Sulfisoxazole - if allergic to penicillin 

     Duration - 1. a matter of judgment 
                2. until the beginning of following summer season 
                 so a children who had episodes of AOM in summer season, 
                 medication is continued about 1 yr. 


Sinusitis in infants and children  
Ellen R Wald, MD  

· Acute sinusitis 

40%- spontaneous recovery 

antimicrobial agents 

1. Amoxicillin:  40mg/kg/day # 3 
2. Erythromycin ethylsuccinate and sulfisoxazole acetyl: 
                 50mg/kg,150mg/kg/day # 4 
3. TMP-SMX:      8mg/Kg, 40mg/Kg/day #2 
4. Cefaclor:     40mg/kg/day #3 
5. Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium: 
                 40mg/kg, 10mg/kg/day #3 
6. Cefixime:     8mg/kg/day #1 

     duration - 10-14 days 

antihistamines and decongestants 

effect not fully studied 

topical vasoconstrictors- somewhat aids on ostial-drainage
antihistamine causes ciliostasis - delays ciliary clearance 

irrigation and drainage

dramatic relief of Sx 

oxygenation 
flow improvement 
local immunoglobulin and complement levels up after irrigation 
proteolytic enzymes decrease 


Surgical management of sinus disease in children  
Scott C Manning, MD  

1. 7-10 days course antibiotic medication 
2. refractory cases : 3-4 wk course of broad spectrum antibiotics 
                 effective against beta-lactamase-producing H influenzae 
3. prophylactic therapy : once-a-day prophylactic antibiotics for 6 wks 
4. nasal saline irrigation : twice-a-day 
5. antihistamine and decongestant : useful in acute congestion 

· long-term using results mucosal drying and impairment of mucociliary defense mechanism 

Indications for surgery 

· no agreed indication of surgery for child sinusitis 
the average child has 6 to 8 episodes of viral URIs/yr. 
if Sx and signs persists beyond 10 days, a sinusitis is suspected 

1. orbital complication occurs 
2.underlying health-threatening conditions such as asthma, cystic fibrosis and immunodeficiencies 
3. when definite areas of anatomic obstructions which are definite cause of disease 

· True chronic disease is, by definition, less likely in younger children. 


Etiology and Management of pharyngitis and pharyngotonsilltis in children: A current review  
Jack L Paradise, MD  


Tonsillectomy Ix 
for recurrent tonsillitis 

7 episodes per 1 yr. 
5 episodes per 2 yrs 
3 episodes per 3 yrs 

Current indications for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy 
Charles D Bluestone, MD 


· Tonsillectomy 

definite Ix 

1. obstructive tonsils and adenoid that are unresponsive to antimicrobial therapy 
2. high suspicion of malignancy 
3. persistent or recurrent of tonsillar hemorrhage 

elective Ix 

1. fetor oris( or absolute Ix?) 
2. frequent acute tonsillitis 
3. chronic tonsillitis 
4. obstructive tonsils 
5. peritonsillar abscess 

* effect of tonsillectomy for recurrent acute episodes of tonsillitis 

1st yr.    1.24: 3.09 
2nd yr.    1.61:2.66 
3rd yr.    1.77:2.20 - statistically no significance 


· Adenoidectomy c/s myringotomy and/or TT(tympanostomy tube) insertion 

elective Ix 

1. obstructive adenoids 
2. recurrent or chronic adenoiditis 
3. recurrent or chronic sinusitis 
4. prevention of recurrent or chronic OM 

· obstructive adenoids 

a. at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Paradise et al - under study for the effectiveness 

b. moderate and severe nasal obstruction, 2ndary to obstructive adenoids, adenoidectomy should reduce morbidity, including mouth breathing, snoring, and hyponasality 

c. in the absence of sleep apnea, or alveolar hypoventilation resulting in cor pulmonale, however, the operation still remains of uncertain benefit. 

d. the quality of life: 1. improvement of nasal airway 
                        2. improvement of olfaction 
                        3. help prevent  dento-facial morphology 
                        4. correct hyponasal speech 
                        5. some parents and clinician believe that growth  and development improves possibly as a result of  improved olfaction 

· paranasal sinusitis 
 
               1. the benefit of adenoidectomy for children with frequently recurrent acute or chronic sinusitis remains uncertain 
               2. there has been no randomized study 
               3. a improved nasal airway passage should be considered 

· otitis media 

       1. OM - most common diagnosis made by pediatric physicians 

       2.  from birth to 7 yrs of age, Teele et al 
                   1st yr. of life:     OM mean attack - 1.2  times/yr. 
                   17% of children: 3 or more episodes in the 1st yr. 
                   following 6 yrs: 75% of children had at least 1 episode 

       3. adenoidectomy and TT is more effective than no surgery in preventing recurrent acute OM, Gebhart and Gonzales et al 

       4. efficacy of tubes over no tubes 

       5. antimicrobial prophylaxis is effective against recurrent acute OM, Maynard et al and Perrin et al 

       6. TT is superior to Myringotomy or no surgery, Mandel et al 

       7. Maw, 1983, Bristol, England, for 103 children, randomized study 
          chronic OM with effusion, unfortunately not given antibiotics 
          before randomized study 
          ---> adenoidectomy  is  more effective  than no surgery tonsillectomy: no effect 

       8. Gates et al, N Engl J Med , 1987,317:1445-51 
          for 578, 4 to 8 yr.-old Texas children, 2/3 = Mexican-Americans 
          chronic middle ear effusion who failed to respond to antibiotics 
          ---> adenoidectomy and myringotomy c/s TT  was more effective  than myringotomy alone c/s TT 

    *still debates about when the initial operation is performed, 
     myringotomy and adenoidectomy vs TT and adenoidectomy 

       9. Paradise et al, JAMA 1990:263:2066-73 
        for 99 children  with previous tube insertion and recurrent OM 
        after pontaneous tube extrusion= at risk group, Pittsburg Children's Hospital 
        ---> adenoidectomy was effective over 2 years 
        the effect was greater for middle ear effusion than recurrent OM 
 
       10. Bluestone's approaches 

       * decision for or against surgical intervention should be individualized 
 
        a. frequency, duration, and severity of OM including HL 
        b. whether appropriate and adequate medical Tx was provided 
        c. age 
        d. anesthetic risks 
        e. time of year, eg. summer - not suitable for children wants swim 
        f. other Ix for surgery on ear or pharynx 
        g. whether a patient is from high risk group for chronic ear disease 
           e.g. Down's SD, cleft palate 
        h. whether a patient may benefit more from timely tube insertion or from wait-and-see 


The symposium 'Current Issues in ENT Infectious Disease' was held March 16-17, 1990, Orlando, Florida