It’s Complicated

 Question: A 26 year old male is evaluated for limited neck range of motion.  He has schizophrenia and resides in a care facility.  Caregivers have reported him pulling at his left ear though no drainage has been visualized.  He is brought to the emergency department where bilateral mastoid effusions are discovered.  On the left, the cortex is eroded and fluid signal is present within the sternocleidomastoid and digastric muscles, extending into the parapharyngeal space.  What is the diagnosis and what is the appropriate therapy?

[Answer will be posted with next week's new question]

Answer to last week's question, "Thinking about Hearing" (April 29, 2018)

B. Cognitive dysfunction tends to portend poorer CI outcomes.