An Unusual Complication of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media: Bezold Abscess Progressing to Scapular Abscess

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is still the most common ear disease in developing countries. Mucosal-type CSOM is more common than squamous-type CSOM. Antibiotics in the treatment of otitis media have significantly decreased the incidence of complications; however, the rate of complication of squamous-type CSOM is still significant in southeast Asia.1 A common complication is acute mastoiditis,2whichmay lead to further complication such as abscesses in the neck and brain. Among them, Bezold abscess comprises 1.3% of complications of CSOM.2 Bezold abscess is defined as a complication of acute mastoiditis when the disease passes inferiorly through the medial aspect of the mastoid tip into the sheath of the sternomastoid muscle. Further spread from Bezold abscess is extremely rare.