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Ear Flashcards

(73 cards)

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1
Q

What nerves carry general sensation from the ear?

A

Cervical spinal nerves C2-3
Vagus
Trigeminal (auricotemporal)
Glossopharyngeal (tympanic)

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2
Q

What makes up the external ear?

A

Pinna
External auditory meatus
Lateral surface of tympanic membrane

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3
Q

What is the role of the external ear?

A

Collect, transmit and focus sound waves onto tympanic membrane

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4
Q

What is a pinna haematoma also known as?

A

Cauliflower ear

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5
Q

What causes a pinna haematoma?

A

Blunt injury to the pinna

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6
Q

What is a pinna haematoma?

A

Accumulation of blood between cartilage and its overlying perichondrium

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7
Q

What is the risk of a pinna haematoma?

A

Subperichondrial haematoma deprives cartilage of its blood supply

Risk of necrosis

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8
Q

How is a pinna haematoma managed?

A

Drainage and compression to prevent re-accumulation of blood

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9
Q

What is the external acoustic meatus?

A

Connects outer ear to tympanic membrane

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10
Q

How long is the external acoustic meatus?

A

~2.5 cm in length

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11
Q

What lines the external acoustic meatus?

A

Keratinising stratified squamous epithelium

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12
Q

What forms the structure of the external acoustic meatus?

A

Outer 1/3 = cartilaginous

Inner 2/3 = bony

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13
Q

What is the shape of the external acoustic meatus?

A

Sigmoid

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14
Q

How is the external acoustic meatus protected?

A

Cartilage part is lined by hair, sebaceous and ceruminous glands

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15
Q

What are ceruminous glands?

A

Wax producing glands

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16
Q

What are common conditions affecting the external acoustic meatus?

A

Wax

Otitis externa

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17
Q

What is otitis externa?

A

Inflammation of the external acoustic meatus

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18
Q

What is otitis externa also known as?

A

Swimmer’s ear

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19
Q

What can cause otitis externa?

A

Water trapped in ear
Damage to skin in ear
Skin problems
Wax build up

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20
Q

What are the symptoms of otitis externa?

A 
Itching/pain in ear canal
Watery discharge from ear canal 
Dry flaky skin around outside of ear and in canal 
Reduced hearing 
Discomfort when moving jaw
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21
Q

How is otitis externa managed?

A

Antibiotic + steroid ear drops

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22
Q

What are common abnormalities of the tympanic membrane?

A

Perforation

Bulging - due to otitis media

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23
Q

What is the middle ear?

A

Air filled cavity between tympanic membrane and inner ear containing ossicles

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24
Q

What is the role of the middle ear?

A

Amplify and relay vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the oval window tof the cochlea

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25
What bones make up the ossicles?
Malleus Incus Stapes
26
What muscles are involved in the middle ear?
Tensor tympani | Stapedius
27
What is one of the most common causes of acquired hearing loss in young adults?
Otosclerosis
28
What is otosclerosis?
Condition where ossicles are fused at articulations due to abnormal bone growth
29
What bone is most commonly effected by otosclerosis?
Stapes
30
What type of hearing loss occurs in otosclerosis?
Conductive
31
What is the role of the pharyngotympanic tube?
Equilibrate pressure of middle ear with atmospheric pressure Ventilation of middle ear Drainage of mucus from middle ear
32
What is the pharyngotympanic tube also known as?
Eustachian tube
33
What is the pressure in the middle ear?
Negative pressure - mucous membrane reabsorbs air I middle ear
34
What is a cholesteatoma?
Sac of trapped epithelial cells that proliferate and erode
35
What causes cholesteatoma?
ET dysfunction - negative pressures pull 'pocket' into middle ear
36
What is the pathophysiology of cholesteatoma?
Retraction of area of tympanic membrane - forms a sac/pocket Traps epithelial cells which proliferate and form cholesteatoma
37
What are the symptoms of cholesteatoma?
Painless smelly otorrhea | +/- hearing loss
38
What is the risk of a cholesteatoma?
Grows slowly and expands Enzymatic bony destruction
39
What is otitis media with effusion?
Build up of fluid and negative pressure in middle ear
40
What is otitis media with effusion also known as?
Glue ear
41
What can cause otitis media with effusion?
ET dysfunction
42
What can be seen on otoscopy in otitis media with effusion?
Tympanic membrane retracted and straw coloured
43
How is otitis media with effusion managed?
Most resolve within 2-3 months Grommets
44
What is acute otitis media?
Middle ear infection
45
Who does acute otitis media effect more commonly?
Infants/children
46
What are the symptoms of acute otitis media?
Otalgia Fever Red +/- bulging tympanic membrane
47
Why are ear infections more common in infants?
Eustachian tube is more horizontal and shorter
48
What are complications of acute otitis media?
Tympanic membrane perforation Facial nerve involvement Mastoiditis Meningitis
49
What is mastoiditis?
Infection of mastoid air cells
50
What is the sign of mastoiditis?
Swollen red area behind ears
51
How does mastoiditis occur?
Middle ear cavity communicates with mastoid air cells via mastoid antrum - route for infections to spread
52
What is the inner ear?
Vestibular apparatus and cochlea
53
What is the role of the cochlea?
Converts vibration into an electrical signal which is perceived as sound
54
What is the role of the vestibular apparatus?
Maintaining our sense of position and balance
55
What is the cochlea?
Fluid-filled tube with specialized hair cells (stereocilia) that generate action potentials when moved
56
What cranial nerve is associated with the cochlea?
CN VIII - vestibulocochlear
57
What type of hearing loss is associated with cochlea/CNVIII dysfunction?
Sensioneural
58
How do we hear?
Auricle and external acoustic meatus focus sound waves towards tympanic membrane Tympanic membrane vibrates Ossicles vibrate and set up vibrations in cochlear fluid Vibrations sensed by stereocilia in cochlear duct Movement triggers CNVIII Primary auditory cortex
59
What is the vestibular apparatus?
Semicircular ducts, saccule and utricle - fluid filled tubes that generate action potentials to do with balance
60
What cranial nerve is associated with the vestibular apparatus?
CNVIII
61
What conditions can affect the inner ear?
BPPV Meniere's disease Labrynthitis
62
What is BPPV?
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo - short bursts of vertigo - due to movements of head - little crystals in vestibular apparatus
63
What is Meniere's disease?
Progressive disease affecting vestibular apparatus and cochlear
64
What is labyrinthitis?
Infection of inner ear
65
What is the normal pattern in a Rinne's test?
Air > bone
66
What occurs in Rinne's test with sensorineural hearing loss?
Air > bone
67
What occurs in Rinne's test with conductive hearing loss?
Bone > air
68
What is the normal pattern in a Weber's test?
Midline
69
What occurs in Weber's test with sensorineural hearing loss?
Lateralises to normal ear
70
What occurs in Weber's test with conductive hearing loss?
Lateralises to the affected ear
71
What causes conductive hearing loss?
Pathology involving external or middle ear Wax Acute otitis media Otitis media with effusion Otosclerosis
72
What causes sensorineural hearling loss?
Pathology involving inner ear or CN VIII ``` Presbyacusis Noise-related hearing loss Meniere's disease Ototoxic medications Acoustic neuroma ```
73
What is presbyacusis?
Age-related hearing loss

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