Infection of the mastoid bone behind the ear, usually spreading from untreated middle ear infection. Can cause severe complications including brain abscess if not treated promptly.
From Greek 'mastos' (breast) and 'eidos' (resembling) because the mastoid process looks like a breast, plus '-itis' for inflammation. This serious complication was often fatal before antibiotics became available in the 1940s.
Before antibiotics, mastoiditis was a leading cause of death in children, requiring dangerous surgery to drill out infected bone. The mastoid bone is honeycomb-like with air cells that connect to the middle ear, creating a perfect pathway for infection to spread toward the brain.
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