Abstract

 Keratosis obturans is a relatively uncommon condition characterized by accumulation of desquamated keratin debris in the bony portion of the external auditory canal. Patients with this condition present with severe otalgia, conductive hearing loss, aural fullness and inclusive widening of the canal. Here is this patient who presents to ENT OPD after visiting many clinics with unbearable otalgia which was mistaken and mixt as impacted cerumen and diffuse otitis externa at those places.

Keywords: Keratosis Obturans; Otalgia; Keratin Debris; Epidermal Plug

References

1. Alarouj H., et al. “A Recurrent Misdiagnosed and Maltreated Case of Keratosis Obturans”. Case Reports in Otolaryngology (2019): 1-4.
2. Gerhard G., et al. “Keratosis obturans– pathologic version of ear wax problem”. Journal of Case Reports in Medicine 7.4 (2018): 1-2.
3. Aaron K., et al. “Ear drops for the removal of ear wax”. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 25 (2018): 7.
4. Chong Raman R. “Keratosis obturans: a disease of the tropics?”. Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery 69.3 (2017): 291–295.
5. Saniasiaya J., et al. “Keratosis obturans complicated with facial nerve palsy: a diagnostic dilemma”. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology 86.1 (2020): 130-132.
6. Dalton S., et al. “Obstruction of the external auditory canal by a keratin cast: keratosis obturans or cholesteatoma?”. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 65.3 (2011): e88-e89.
7. Clegg E., et al. “The safety and effectiveness of different methods of ear wax removal: a systematic review and economic evaluation”. Health Technology Assessment 14.28 (2010): 1–191.
8. Lesser TH. “Keratosis obturans and primary auditory canal cholesteatoma”. Scott-Brown’s Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 7 (2008): 3342–3345.
9. Glynn F., et al. “Neglected keratosis obturans causing facial nerve palsy”. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 120.9 (2006).
10. Saunders NC., et al. “Complications of keratosis obturans”. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 120.9 (2006): 740–744.
11. Jarvis SJ and Bath AP. “Keratosis obturans v external auditory canal cholesteatoma (a diagnostic dilemma)”. CME Bulletin Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery 5 (2009): 65.

Citation

Citation: Sphoorthi Basavannaiah. “Keratosis Obturans: How Can Excruciating and Agonising Otalgia Be Deceptive and Illusive???". Acta Scientific Otolaryngology 2.9 (2020): 05-07.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2020 Sphoorthi Basavannaiah. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.