[Clinical observations of tuberculous infection of the middle ear].

Since fifty years, three main infection routes of otitis media tuberculosa have been advocated by the literature. In childhood it was considered to be limited to haematogenic or primary infection, because the tuberculous focus was not found in the lung or in other parts of the body. Two own observations of children with tuberculosis of the middle ear were reported by the authors. Histological examination of the granulation tissue, taken from the mastoid cavities, showed Langhans cells. Also tuberculosis was verified by microbiological examination. When adenotomy was performed one month after the ear operation, also the adenoid tissues showed typical tuberculosis. The authors suggest the possibility of tubal infections from the adenoid tissue into the middle ear.