ENT Flashcards
(115 cards)
Blood supply to the nasal cavity (what makes up Little’s area)
Main: sphenopalatine artery (from carotid)
Others: superior labial, anterior ethmoid
Local causes of epistaxis
Trauma - Little’s area, base of skull #
Vascular nipple - mucosal arteriovenous malformation
Neoplasm - NPC, SCC, JNA
Carotid blowout - NPC post RT
Systemic causes of epistaxis
coagulopathies
hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
Characteristic of bleeding in NPC
Usually blood stained oral secretions
Blood form tumour gravitate towards pharynx -> appear in saliva
What is carotid blowout
NPC treated with radiotherapy - erosion of protective bone around carotids
Dry air from nasal cavity weakens carotid artery wall -> massive haemorrhage
Adolescent male, epistaxis, persistent blocked nose. Diagnosis?
Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma
- very vascular and invasive tumour, does not metastasise
Epistaxis tx (1st, 2nd, 3rd line)
1st:
- epistaxis first aid, silver nitrate cautery (at GP)
2nd line (ENT)
- electrocautery
- anterior packing (merocel, bismuth iodine paraffin paste)
- posterior packing
3rd line (ENT):
- ligation of ethmoidal arteries if ICA bleed
- embolisation if ECA bleed
Complication of silver nitrate cautery
Lack of judicious cautery -> devascularise nasal septal cartilage -> avascular necrosis -> saddle nose deformity
Complications of nasal trauma
- Septal haematoma
- CSF rhinorrhea
- Nasal obstruction
- cosmetic deformities
What is septal haematoma
Blood collects under nasal septum due to rupture of capillaries in nasal septum -> separation of perichondrium from cartilaginous portion
- cx: infection (abscess), devascularisation of cartilage (saddle nose deformity)
EMERGENCY that requires I&D
CSF rhinorrhea caused by ____. ___ sign seen in CSF rhinorrhea. describe the sign.
base of skull #
halo sign
clear fluid outer ring (CSF) and red inner ring (blood)
How to manage nasal # acutely
Ix:
- nasal endoscopy
- CT TRO BOF #
- nasal XR for medicolegal
Reassess in 3-5 days after swelling goes down
M&R within 14 days under GA
Residual deformity after nasal fracture M&R. Management?
Septorhinoplasty (nose job)
Done 6-9 months after injury
Bones involved in tripod fracture
zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture
- zygomatic arch
- zygomaticofrontal suture
- inferior orbital rim
Features of anterior BOS #
- racoon eyes (haematoma around eyes)
- CSF rhinorrhea
- CN: I, V, VI, VII, VIII
Features of posterior BOS #
- battle sign (haematoma behind ear)
- haemotympanum
- CSF otorrhea
- CN: VI, VIII, VIII
What structures make up internal nasal valve
- nasal septum
- inferior turbinate
- junction between lower and upper lateral cartilage
area of largest resistance to nasal air flow, if narrowed, can cause perception of nasal obstruction
Anatomic causes of nasal obstruction
- deviated nasal septum
- adenoid hypertrophy
- inferior turbinate hypertrophy
Inflammatory causes of nasal obstruction
a) Acute rhinosinusitis
- infection
- AR
- rhinitis medicamentosa
b) chronic rhinosinusitis
- chronic RNS with/without polyp
- systemic: Wegener’s granulomatosis (blood vessel inflammation)
c) others
- foreign body
- tumours
What is rhinitis medicamentosa
overuse of topical decongestants causing rebound nasal congestion (vasodilation) once stopped
Allergic rhinitis is a ___ mediated inflammation (Type __ hypersensitivity)
IgE, type I
Definitive diagnosis of AR
1) Skin prick
- allergens pricked into skin, check for wheal >= 3mm
2) serum specific IgE ab
management of AR
1) allergen avoidance - wash linens in hot water 60deg to kill HDM
- anti dustmite pillow cases
2) Pharmacotherapy
- oral antihistamine, intranasal steroids
- combined topical nasal antihistamine-steroids
3) immunotherapy
- increase exposure of allergens in pt until sx relieved
- only tx that arrests allergic march
- 3-5 years of subcutaneous/sublingual tx
4) surgical
- radiofrequency ablation of inferior turbinates
- inferior turbinate reduction
Disease progression in atopic march
eczema -> food allergy -> allergic rhinitis -> asthma