This involves a perforation (hole) in the tympanic membrane and active bacterial infection within the middle ear space for several weeks or more. There may be enough pus that it drains to the outside of the ear (otorrhea), or the purulence may be minimal enough to only be seen on examination using a binocular microscope.
Also indexed as
Chronic otitis media with purulent effusionChronic purulent otitis mediaChronic purulent secretory otitis mediaOther chronic suppurative otitis media