| Description |
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Acute otitis externa in its most frequent form is a diffuse infectious dermatitis of the external ear canal. Less commonly, there is a localized infection of a skin appendage in the superficial canal which, in reality, is a follicultis or furuncle. Furuncles only occur in the outer cartilaginous hair bearing portion of the external canal. They usually develop from the entry of pyogenic staphylococci (especially Staphylococcus aureus) into the skin of the superficial external canal, producing a small abscess around the base of a hair follicle (perifolliculitis). In time the furuncle may rupture, discharging infected material into the external canal. A red, swollen and painful furuncle canal wall is seen arising from the superior has ruptured canal wall. |
![Acute Localized Otitis Externa
[Furuncle]](http://eac.hawkelibrary.com/albums/aoe/49_Left.sized.jpg "Acute Localized Otitis Externa
[Furuncle]")
