Anatomy of the Ear Flashcards
What is Otalgia?
Ear pain
What is in the middle ear?
Air filled cavity, with 3 ossicles and lined with respiratory epithelium
What is in the inner ear?
Fluid filled cavity, cochlea and semicircular canals(3)
What is another name for the Eustachian tube?
Pharyngotympanic tube
Which nerves carry general sensory to the external ear?
Cervical spine 2/3, Vagus and Trigeminal nerves
What is Ramsey-Hunt syndrome?
Facial nerve palsy on one side of the face and associated rash on the ear
What is a pinna haematoma?
Accumulation of blood between the cartilage and its overlying perichondrium
How long is the external acoustic meatus?
2.5cm
Define otitis externa
Inflammation of the external ear canal, may be infective
Which direction does the apex of the tympanic membrane usually point?
Medially
What is cholesteatoma ?
Retraction of the pars flaccida at the superior tympanic membrane, traps stratified squamous epithelium and keratin. Can be serious due to erosion of bone.
What type of joints connect the ossicles?
Synovial joints
What is the name of the membrane that the stapes communicates with?
Oval Window
Which 2 muscles tamper the movement of the ossicles?
Tensor tympani and stapedius
Define Otosclerosis
Common cause of hearing loss in young adults caused by abnormal bone growth on the stapes, presents with conductive hearing loss
What is otitis media with effusion?
dysfunction of the eustachian tube causing fluid and negative pressure to build in middle ear.
How is otitis media with effusion treated?
Most resolve spontaneously in 2-3 months, but if it persists may require grommets (tympanostomy tube)
Name 2 bacteria that cause Acute otitis media
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae
Name 2 complications of Acute otitis media
Tympanic membrane perforation and mastoiditis
How does movement of fluid in the cochlea cause sound to be heard?
fluid moves stereocilia in the spiral organ of corti which triggers action potentials in the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN 8)
What is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ?
Short episodes of vertigo triggered by movement of the head
What is the frequency of a tuning fork?
512 Hz
