Blue Ear Drum and its Management

Abstract

The “blue ear drum” generally refers to a condition in which blood or blood products are found in the middle ear. After all possible causes for hemotympanum, including blood dyscrasias and trauma are searched for and ruled out, the patient may have chronic serous otitis media accompanied by bloody effusion. Treatment for all of these patients is conservative, consisting of medical therapy and, if need be, myringotomy and insertion of ventilation tubes. In spite of proper treatment, rarely the condition may progress, over a long period of time, to a state of intractability. Characteristic findings are a hypocellular mastoid, hyperplastic and metaplastic mucoperiosteal lining, including the presence of glands and cysts and Cholesterin granuloma. The recommended procedure is a modified radical mastoidectomy, placement of silicone rubber sheeting in the middle ear and insertion of a ventilation tube. It is to be emphasized that mastoid surgery is rarely indicated for these patients and only after all else has failed.