Tuberculous otitis media presenting as complications: report of 18 cases.

Tuberculous otitis media is a rare but treatable disease; delay in its diagnosis usually leads to complications. In the last 15 years we have come across 18 cases of tuberculous otitis media, which presented various intra- and extracranial complications. In the past, tuberculous otitis media had always been considered a discrete disease, but it is possible that tuberculosis may coexist or secondarily affect an already discharging ear. The following discussion illustrates the complications and clinical problems encountered in tuberculous otitis media.