II. Definition

  1. Otorrhea is Ear Drainage

III. Causes

  1. Acute Otorrhea (6 weeks duration or less)
    1. Acute Otitis Media with Tympanic Membrane Perforation
    2. Otitis Externa
    3. Tympanostomy Tube placement complication
  2. Chronic Otorrhea (Lasting longer than 6 weeks duration)
    1. Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (most common)
    2. Cholesteatoma
    3. Ear Foreign Body
    4. Granuloma
    5. Immunodeficiency
    6. Neoplasm

IV. Discharge characteristics: Infectious Causes

  1. Otitis Externa
    1. Acute Bacterial Otitis Externa
      1. Scant white mucus (may be thick)
    2. Chronic Bacterial Otitis Externa
      1. Bloody discharge with granulation tissue
    3. Fungal Otitis Externa (Otomycosis)
      1. Fluffy discharge
      2. Color: white, black, gray, blue-green or yellow
  2. Otitis Media with perforated Tympanic Membrane
    1. Acute Otitis Media
      1. Purulent white to yellow mucus discharge
      2. Associated with deep pain
    2. Serous Otitis Media
      1. Clear mucus
      2. Associated with Allergic Rhinitis
    3. Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media
      1. Purulent mucus on intermittent drainage
      2. Not associated with pain
  3. Miscellaneous Causes
    1. Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage: clear watery discharge
    2. Trauma: Bloody mucus
    3. Osteomyelitis: Foul ear discharge

Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)

Related Studies

Ontology: Ear discharge (C0155540)

Definition (NCI) Discharge or drainage of fluid from the ear.
Concepts Finding (T033)
ICD9 388.60, 388.6
ICD10 H92.1 , H92.10
SnomedCT 162364004, 194405007, 267676003, 155250006, 194403000, 139633004, 65668001, 300132001
English Otorrhea, unspecified, Otorrhoea NOS, Ear discharge present (context-dependent category), Ear discharge present (situation), Unspecified otorrhea, Unspecified otorrhoea, discharge from ears, discharge from external ear canal, ear discharge, discharge from external ear canal (physical finding), external auditory canal discharge, discharge from ears (symptom), Otorrhea NOS, Otorrhea, unspecified ear, discharge ear, discharge from ear, otorrhoea, otorrhea, discharge ears, discharges ear, otorrhea (diagnosis), Otorrhoea (disorder), Otorrhea NOS (disorder), Unspecified otorrhea (disorder), Discharge from ear canal, Otorrhea, Discharge from ear, Discharging ear, Ear discharge present, Otorrhoea, Observation of ear discharge, Ear discharge, Discharge of ear, Drainage from external ear canal, Ear discharge (finding), Finding of ear discharge, Otorrhea (disorder), discharge; ear, ear; discharge, Discharge of ear, NOS, Otorrhea, NOS, Drainage from external ear canal, NOS, Ear discharge present (finding), Finding of ear discharge (finding), Discharging ear NOS, Discharge;ear
Italian Otorrea, Otorrea, non specificata, Secrezione auricolare
Dutch niet-gespecificeerde otorrhoea, afscheiding uit het oor, otorrhoea, Afscheiding in/uit oor, afscheiding; oor, oor; afscheiding, Otorroe [loopoor], otorroe
French Ecoulement de l'oreille, Otorrhée, non précisée, Otorrhée
German Absonderung aus dem Ohr, Otorrhoe, unspezifisch, Otorrhoe
Portuguese Corrimento do ouvido, Otorreia NE, Otorreia
Spanish Secreción del oído, Otorrea no especificada, presencia de secreción por el oído (categoría dependiente del contexto), secreción por el oído presente (situación), secreción por el oído presente, presencia de secreción por el oído (situación), presencia de secreción por el oído, otorrea, no especificada (trastorno), otorrea, SAI, otorrea, SAI (trastorno), otorrea, no especificada, drenaje desde el conducto auditivo externo, otorrea (trastorno), otorrea, secreción del oído (hallazgo), secreción del oído, supuración del oído, Otorrea
Japanese 耳漏, 詳細不明の耳漏, ジロウ, ショウサイフメイノジロウ
Czech Otorea, Ušní výtok238
Korean 귓물
Hungarian otorrhoea, Fülfolyás, Fülváladékozás, Nem meghatározott fülfolyás