NR 511 Acute Otitis Externa CPG: NR 511 Differential diagnosis and primary care - Chamberlain College Of Nursing

Acute Otitis Externa CPG Rachel Avisrur Chamberlain School of Nursing NR 511- Differential diagnosis and primary care November 2018 What is Acute otitis externa ? • Inflammation of the external ear canal • Causative Factors: prolonged exposure to a wet environment, chronic otorrhea, foreign body in the ear, atopic dermatitis, Furunculosis, trauma, use of a hearing aid, and exposure to bacterial infection. (HUI, 2013)Pathophysiology • Diffuse inflammation of the external auditory canal • 98% of cases in the US and Canada are caused by bacterial infection • Gram Negative Bacteria • Most common found bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus • Cases can be fungal as well, most common pathogens include Candida albicans and Aspergiulls (Rosenfeld et al., 2014 )Prevalence rate in the USA There are an estimated 2.4 million health care visits a year for AOE which costs nearly half a billion dollars in health care costs (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015)Clinical Presentation Subjective  Severe otalgia (ear ache)  A feeling of “fullness” in the effected ear  An itching sensation Objective  Pain exacerbated by pulling of the pinna and application of pressure on the tragus  Purulent drainage  Ear canal appears edematous and erythemic  Tympanic membrane may or may not be intact