Ostéite de la base du crâne

Skull base osteomyelitis is a rare but serious infection. It typically afflicts immunosuppressed patients and should be suspected in patients with persistent otitis complicated by cranial nerve palsy (VII, IX and XII). The most frequent germ is pseudomonas aeruginosa. Contiguous spread of infection occurs along neurovascular structures and weaker regions of the skull base, then into the soft tissue compartments of the face and nasopharynx. Diagnosis and treatment should be made early for this disease with poor prognosis and high mortality.