Keywords: otitis externa, temporal bone, facial palsy

Abstract: The autores studied 12 cases of malignant extemal otitis between 1982 and 1992, at ENT Department of Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo. The disease was most prevalent in the mate sex and between ages 21-30 and older than 60. Diabetes was present in 50% of the patients. Otornbea was the main complain (100%), followed by pain (58%). Most of the patients had some hind of neurosensorial hearing loss (75%). Facial palsy occurred, as a complication, in 58%. All patients were submitted to drug treatment and only one had to go the operating room. The aim of this paper is to discuss the diagnostic, treatment and prognostic problems.