Otology Flashcards

1
Q

What the 6 common ear symptoms?

A
  • Hearing Loss
  • Tinnitus
  • Otalgia
  • Otorrhoea
  • Facial Weakness
  • Vertigo
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2
Q

How do we examine the ears?

A

Physical:

  • Otoscope
  • Microscope

Hearing:

  • Tuning fork (Rinne’s & Weber’s)
  • Whispered Voice Tests
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3
Q

Explain the tuning fork tests

A

Rinnes:

  • Air vs Bone Conduction
  • IF B>A then theres conductive hearing loss in that ear

Webers:

  • Tuning fork to forehead
  • If its louder in one ear then its either conductive loss in that ear or sensorineural in the opposite
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4
Q

What investigations can be done for hearing?

A
  • Pure Tone Audiogram

- Tympanogram

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5
Q

How do we interpret the results from a pure tone audiogram

A

It measures how quiet a sound you can hear at various frequencies
We can also do it with bone vs air conduction

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6
Q

What are the result ‘types’ from a tympanogram?

A

Type A - normal
Type B - Immobile Tympanic membrane
Type C - Low Middle Ear pressure

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7
Q

List the common disorders of the outer ear?

A

Auricular Haematoma

  • ‘Cauliflower ear’
  • Needs to be drained

Foreign Body

Otitis Externa

  • Itching, pain, discharge & hearing loss
  • Abx/steroid eardrops

Malignant Otitis Externa

  • Osteomyelitis of the temporal bone
  • Months of systemic Abx
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8
Q

List some common disorders of the middle ear?

A
  • Otitis Media with effusion (glue ear)
  • Acute Otitis Media
  • Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media
  • Tympanosclerosis
  • Otosclerosis
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9
Q

Define otitis media with effusion?

A

Eustachian tube isnt working causing a vaccum in the middle ear that draws out fluid from the lining

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10
Q

How do we treat ‘glue ear’?

A

If the hearing loss is persistant over months or affects their work/school then put in a grommet.
A Grommet is a tube through the ear drum that allows pressure to equalise in the middle ear

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11
Q

How does acute otitis media present?

A

Increasing pain leading to a perforated ear drum

The pain then goes away and the drum heals

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12
Q

What are the types of chronic suppurative otitis media?

A

Either with:

  • Perforated Tympanic Membrane
  • Cholesteatoma
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13
Q

What is a cholesteatoma?

A

Abnormal skin growth in the middle ear.
The skin forms a pouch so it doesnt shed, instead it builds up. Eroding structures of the ear, facial nerve and into the brain

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14
Q

List some common disorders of the inner ear?

A

Presbycusis

  • Age related hearing loss
  • It starts at the higher frequency

Noise Induced Hearing Loss:
- Also starts at higher frequency

Ototoxic Meds e.g. Gentamicin

Meniere’s Disease
Head Injury
Infection
Vestibular Schwannoma (Acoustic Neuroma)

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15
Q

What is a vestibular schwannoma?

A

A benign tumour of the vestibular nerve

Causes sensorineural hearing loss in one ear

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16
Q

What causes tinnitus?

A

Possibly damage to the cochlear hairs

Its associated with presbycusis, noise related hearing loss and stress.

17
Q

How would we investigate tinnitus?

A

We’d want to test for hearing loss.

If its unilateral or pulsatile we would want to do a scan

18
Q

How do we treat tinnitus?

A

Manage stress to stop exacerbating it

Sound enrichment, e.g. hearing aids

19
Q

What would we want to know about someones vertigo?

A
  • Precipitating Factors such as position
  • Associated symptoms
  • Frequency
  • Duration
20
Q

List some common types/causes of vertigo?

A
  • Benign Positional vertigo
  • Vestibular Neuritis/Labyrinthitis
  • Meniere’s Disease
  • Migraine
21
Q

What causes benign positional vertigo?

A

Otoconia (small crystals) in the semi-circular canals of the inner ear.
Its precipitated by changes in head position causing the stones to stimulate the hair cells
It only lasts a few seconds and occurs a few times a day

22
Q

How do we test for and treat Benign Positional Vertigo?

A

A Dix-Hallpike test will induce vertigo

The Epley Manoeuvre moves the particles out the canal so they wont stimulate the hair cells

23
Q

What is vestibular neuritis/labyrinthitis?

A

A reactivation of a latent HSV infection in the vestibular gangion.

Usually people have a few episodes of decreasing severity as the body fights off the virus better each time

The patient may be left with residual motion-provoked vertigo

24
Q

How do we treat Vestibular Neuritis/Labyrinthitis?

A

A vestibular sedative acutely

Vestibular rehab afterward

25
Q

What is Meniere’s disease?

A

Also known as endolymphatic hydrops.

Its thought to stem from unusual fluctuation of endolymph in the vestibular system.

26
Q

How does meniere’s disease present?

A

Spontaneous vertigo often with:

  • Fluctuating & Progressive unilateral hearing loss
  • Tinnitus
  • Aural Fullness

It can last hours and happen every few days, weeks or months

27
Q

How do we treat meniere’s disease?

A

Betahistine
Bendrofluazide
Intratympanic Dexamethasone
Intratympanic Gentamicin

28
Q

What is a migraine?

A

Spontaneous Vertigo +/-:

  • Headache
  • Sensory Sensitivity

It can be precipitated by a migraine trigger such as stress, diet, alcohol or menstruation

Duration & Frequency are very variable

29
Q

How would we treat a migraine?

A

Avoid the triggers

Prophylactic meds

30
Q

List some sources of Facial Palsy:

A

Lower Motor Neuron Facial Weakness

Infratemporal (Cholesteatoma) or Extratemporal (Parotid Gland Tumour) pathologies affecting the facial nerve

Bells Palsy
- Acute Idiopathic Facial Palsy