Middle Ear-Basic and Advanced COPY Flashcards
(39 cards)
Hearing pathway
- Sound enters ear
- Tiny middle ear bones amplify sound
- Cochlea sorts sounds by frequency
- Nerve passes signal from cochlea to brain stem
- Signal travels through brain getting decoded along the way
- Auditory cortex recognizes, processes sound
Pathophysiology of Acute Otitis Media
- Viral Infection
Viral infection
- Eustachian tube swelling results in decrease in equalization between middle ear and atmospheric pressure
- Build up of mucus in middle ear
Pathophysiology of Acute Otitis Media
- Bacterial Infection
Bacterial infection
- Bacterial overgrowth in middle ear
- Spread of bacterial infection throughout middle ear and mastoid air cells
- Immune response will result in WBC invasion and pus formation
Acute Otitis Media
Identify the bacteria in a:
- Patient <3 months
Patient <3 months
- E. Coli
- Staph Aureus
______________________
Patient 3 months-14 years
- Strep pneumoniae
- H influenzae
- M catarrhalis
Patient >14 years
- Strep pneumoniae
- Group A-hemolytic strep (GAS)
- Staph Aureus
Acute Otitis Media
Identify the bacteria in a:
- Patient 3 months-14 years
Patient 3 months-14 years
- Strep pneumoniae
- H influenzae
- M catarrhalis
______________________
Patient <3 months
- E. Coli
- Staph Aureus
Patient >14 years
- Strep pneumoniae
- Group A-hemolytic strep (GAS)
- Staph Aureus
Acute Otitis Media
Identify the bacteria in a:
- Patient > 14 years
Patient >14 years
- Strep pneumoniae
- Group A-hemolytic strep (GAS)
- Staph Aureus
______________________
Patient <3 months
- E. Coli
- Staph Aureus
Patient 3 months-14 years
- Strep pneumoniae
- H influenzae
- M catarrhalis
What is the peak incidence of Acute Otitis Media?
Peak incidence between 6-18 months old
Which vaccines are responsible for the decline in Acute Otitis Media?
PCV7 and PCV13
What are the risk factors of Acute Otitis Media?
Risk Factors
Note: Peak incidence between 6-18 months old
- Family history (immediate and remote)
- Day Care
- Exposure to tobacco smoke/air pollution
_________________________
Clinical presentation
- Headache
- Apathy
- Otalgia (ear pain)
- +/- Otorrhea (ear discharge)
- Fever
- Irritability
- Disturbed/restless sleep
- Poor feeding
Physical exam
- Gold standard: Pneumatic Otoscopy
- Affected ear: Decreased hearing, lateralization to affected ear, BC>AC
- Otoscope exam:
- Color: pearly gray (normal) or pink/light red (consistent with otitis media)
- Position: neutral, retracted (common with ETD or effusion), bulging (indication of pus)
- Mobility: brisk, none, slight movement? (expect no movement and slight movement)
- Perforation: intact, single perforation, multiple?
Physical Exam-Evidence of current or recent URI
- Scleral injection
- Coryza
- Pharyngeal erythema
- Tonsillar swelling
- Cervical lymphadenopathy
- Skin rashes
What are the four diagnosis criteria for Acute Otitis Media in 6 months-12 year olds?
- New onset of otorrhea (not due to acute otitis externa); OR
- moderate-severe bulging of TM; OR
- mild bulging of TM AND recent otalgia; OR
- mild bulding of TM AND intense erythema of TM
What is the clinical presentation of Acute Otitis Media?
Clinical presentation
- Headache
- Apathy
- Otalgia (ear pain)
- +/- Otorrhea (ear discharge)
- Fever
- Irritability
- Disturbed/restless sleep
- Poor feeding
_________________________
Risk Factors
Note: Peak incidence between 6-18 months old
- Family history (immediate and remote)
- Day Care
- Exposure to tobacco smoke/air pollution
Physical exam
- Gold standard: Pneumatic Otoscopy
- Affected ear: Decreased hearing, lateralization to affected ear, BC>AC
- Otoscope exam:
- Color: pearly gray (normal) or pink/light red (consistent with otitis media)
- Position: neutral, retracted (common with ETD or effusion), bulging (indication of pus)
- Mobility: brisk, none, slight movement? (expect no movement and slight movement)
- Perforation: intact, single perforation, multiple?
Physical Exam-Evidence of current or recent URI
- Scleral injection
- Coryza
- Pharyngeal erythema
- Tonsillar swelling
- Cervical lymphadenopathy
- Skin rashes
What is the physical exam presentation of Acute Otitis Media?
Physical exam
- Gold standard: Pneumatic Otoscopy
- Affected ear: Decreased hearing, lateralization to affected ear, BC>AC
- Otoscope exam:
- Color: pearly gray (normal) or pink/light red (consistent with otitis media)
- Position: neutral, retracted (common with ETD or effusion), bulging (indication of pus)
- Mobility: brisk, none, slight movement? (expect no movement and slight movement)
- Perforation: intact, single perforation, multiple?
Physical Exam-Evidence of current or recent URI
- Scleral injection
- Coryza
- Pharyngeal erythema
- Tonsillar swelling
- Cervical lymphadenopathy
- Skin rashes
_________________________
Risk Factors
Note: Peak incidence between 6-18 months old
- Family history (immediate and remote)
- Day Care
- Exposure to tobacco smoke/air pollution
Clinical presentation
- Headache
- Apathy
- Otalgia (ear pain)
- +/- Otorrhea (ear discharge)
- Fever
- Irritability
- Disturbed/restless sleep
- Poor feeding
What other differential diagnoses should be on your list if you suspect Acute Otitis Media?
- Otitis externa
- Sinusitis
- Otitis media with effusion
- Eustachian tube dysfunction
- Cholesteatoma
Are any diagnostic studies required for Acute Otitis Media?
none; clinical diagnosis
Treatment of Acute Otitis Media
What are the 3 “severe” symptoms in deciding treatment?
- Temperature >39 degrees C (102.2 F)
- Otalgia > 48hrs
- Moderate or severe otalgia

Treatment of Acute Otitis Media
6 months-23 months
and
How do you reduce pain?
- Reduce pain with analgesics (acetaminophen) and anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen)

Treatment of Acute Otitis Media
Greater than/equal to 24 months
and
How do you reduce pain?
- Reduce pain with analgesics (acetaminophen) and anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen)

Treatment of Acute Otitis Media
Antiobiotics: Give first line, second line, and third line
and
How do you reduce pain?
First Line
Amoxicillin or Amoxicillin clavulanate (augmentin)
Second Line
Cefdinir or Cefuroxime
Third Line
Azithromycin (Z-pak) or Ceftriaxone
- Reduce pain with analgesics (acetaminophen) and anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen)

Acute otitis media
You have diagnosed your patient that is under 2 years old with acute otitis media. What is the follow up care?
Bring patient back in 8-12 weeks; look for Otitis Media w/Effusion
Acute otitis media
You have diagnosed your patient that is 2 years old or older with learning/language problems with acute otitis media. What is the follow up care?
Bring patient back in 8-12 weeks; look for Otitis Media w/Effusion
Acute otitis media
You have diagnosed your patient that is 2 years old or older with NO learning/language problems with acute otitis media. What is the follow up care?
No follow up necessary
Acute Otitis Media
You have diagnosed a patient with acute otitis media. What should you educate the patient about?
Inform patient to return to clinic/reach out if:
- TM rupture
- Symptoms worsen or persist beyond 48-72 hrs after initial visit
- Red flag: Erythematous swelling behind affected ear
- Red flag: spread to both ears in infant
- Red flag: Persistant high grade fever (>103 F)
Acute Otitis Media
Patient has been diagnosed with acute otitis media. What are 4 complications you might be worried about?
- Mastoiditis: infection of mastoid air cells (direct extension of middle ear)
- Bullous Myringitis: painful blister/bulla formation on the TM
- Recurrent infection: An infection that returns within 15 days of completion of treatment
- Chronic otitis media
Acute Otitis Media
Complication: Mastoiditis
- Describe
- Action plan?
- Infection of mastoid air cells (direct extension from middle ear)
Presentation
- Redness, tenderness, swelling, and fluctuation over the mastoid process
- Displacement of the pinna
Treatment
- IV Ceftriaxone and/or
- Mastoidectomy



