Spread of infection
Infection in the middle ear can be serious because of the proximity of vital structures:
- facial nerve - runs through the middle ear, and may be damaged as part of an inflammatory reaction
- mastoid air cells - posterior to the middle ear and themselves, adjacent to the posterior fossa containing the cerebellum, and the lateral sinus
- vestibular labyrinth - medially; chronic suppuration may erode through the lateral semicircular canal allowing bacteria to gain access to the inner ear
- middle cranial fossa containing the temporal lobe - superiorly
See complications of otitis media for further details.
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