{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,29]],"date-time":"2025-08-29T00:03:20Z","timestamp":1756425800532,"version":"3.44.0"},"reference-count":12,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"12","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Case Rep"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,16]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>We report a case of a generally fit and well 54-year-old man who presented with a 2-day history of worsening left-sided otorrhea, headache, neck stiffness, vomiting and fever on the background of a 7-week history of otitis externa (OE). His condition progressed dramatically as he developed symptoms consistent with acute complete cervical cord syndrome with radiological evidence of skull base osteomyelitis, parapharyngeal, retropharyngeal and paravertebral abscesses and sigmoid sinus thrombus. Ultimately, he made a significant, although not complete, recovery. This case is unique in demonstrating how OE can develop into a potentially life threatening condition. It emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of OE, the recognition of \u2018red flag\u2019 symptoms and highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach when managing complex complications of OE.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2021-245594","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,1]],"date-time":"2021-12-01T11:16:17Z","timestamp":1638357377000},"page":"e245594","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Paralysis from an ear infection: a severe case of otitis externa leading to acute complete cervical cord syndrome"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5812-0767","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rachael","family":"Collins","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia Norwich Medical School, Norwich, UK"},{"name":"Department of Otolaryngology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"George","family":"Lafford","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plastic Surgery, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, Norwich, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Parry","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Great Yarmouth, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00405-009-1194-2"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S0022215110002550"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.3","article-title":"A 10-year review of malignant otitis externa: a new insight","author":"Kamalden","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1016\/j.joto.2019.01.003","article-title":"A retrospective review of 14 cases of malignant otitis externa","volume":"14","author":"Marina","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Otol"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.otc.2008.01.004"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S0022215109005313"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2018-227971","article-title":"Cotton bud in external ear canal causing necrotising otitis externa and subdural abscess","volume":"12","author":"Charlton","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMJ Case Rep"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"706","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjoto.2013.07.003","article-title":"Complicated necrotizing otitis externa","volume":"34","author":"Nawas","year":"2013","journal-title":"Am J Otolaryngol"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2261","DOI":"10.1007\/s00405-015-3738-y","article-title":"Malignant otitis externa in a healthy non-diabetic patient","volume":"273","author":"Liu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol"},{"key":"2025082801314624000_14.12.e245594.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100149","DOI":"10.1016\/j.xocr.2019.100149","article-title":"Osteomyelitis of the skull base and the cervical vertebrae. 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