Disorders of the Auditory System Flashcards
External Otitis
Infection of the external ear Characterized by thickened skin on ear and ear canal Painful, may be weeping of fluids Swimmer's Ear Get some Ear Drops
Cellulitis
an infection of the skin not involving the perichondrium
an abscess may occur if left untreated
Perichondritis
Affects perichondrium
characterized by edema (swelling), redness, and tenderness
Can progress to cartilage and lead to serious complications
Injuries
Sunburn frostbite, chemical, radiation
Trauma, cue tips etc.
Carcinoma of the External Ear
Cancer of outer ear.
Three types of malignant tumors
Basal Cell, Squamous Cell, and Melanoma
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal skin grows out of control, does not metastasize
may spread locally
Usually related to sun exposure
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Most common malignant tumor of outer ear
Can travel via blood vessels and the lymph stream
Usually on pinna for men, concha in women
Melanoma
Malignancy of the pigment cells that spread through the blood stream. High Mortality Rate
Collapsing Ear Canal
Typically affects the old and infants
Headband can cause ear canals to collapse during testing giving bad results for Air Conduction
Cerumen
Can collect in back cause of q-tips and cause conductive hearing loss
Needs to be taken out
Stenosis
Narrowing of external ear canal
Trauma, inflammation, genetics can cause it as well as aging
Atresia
A disease involving absence of the normal opening to the canal
Can be congenital or acquired
There can be a membranous or bony wall that separates the ear canal from middle ear space
Microtia
Abnormally small pinna, often accompanies atresia
Otalgia
Ear Pain
Often caused by a pathology somewhere else in the body
Tympanic Membrane Perforation
abnormal opening in a structure of the membrane.
3 Types of perforations
Central, Marginal, retraction pockets (not true perforations)
Hearing loss can be between 0-40 dB
Central Perforations
Perforations in the pars tensa
Trauma/infection common causes
Marginal Perforations
Perforations involving the annulus
Can allow skin to migrate into the inner ear space
Cholesteatoma
A tumorlike mass of skin/debris that builds up in middle ear space
Can be caused by otitis media or marginal perforations
Can lead to a range of problems
Myringoplasty
Surgical repair of the Pars Tensa
Tympanoplasty
Surgical repair of ear drum (Tympanic Membrane)
Retraction Perforations
Caused by negative ear pressure sucking ear drum into middle ear space
A Pocket forms in area of pars flaccida
Pocket fills with squamous debris that can develop in a cholesteatoma
Dicontinuity of the Ossicular Chain
The bones of the chain come undone from one another
Caused by head/TM trauma
Unilateral conductive hearing loss
Can try to repair bones or replace with metal lever
Otosclerosis
a lesion of the osseous or bony portion of the inner ear and of the stapedial footplate
New bone and old bone merge and produce a spongy bone
Ankylosis
The footplate of stapes wedges itself in position in the oval window reducing movement
Causes conductive hearing loss
Stapedectomy
Stapes is replaced with a metal bar
Malleus Fixation
Obvious
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
- Swelling due to allergy/infection
- Obstruction due to enlarged adenoids/tumor
- Neurological Disorders
- Craniofacial Anomalies
Patulous Eustachian Tube
abnormally open
Associated with rapid weight loss and neuromuscular diorders
Otitis Media
Inflammation of the Middle Ear
Any condition that results in accumulation of fluid in ME
Effusion
escape of a fluid into a body space
Types of Effusion in MES
Serous: thin watery liquid
Mucoid: Thicker effusion
Suppurative: inflammed and contains infected fluid with pus
Adhesive: includes thickening of the fibrous tissue of the TM
Mastoiditis
Middle Ear infection spreads to mastoid bone via the attic portion of the middle ear
Duration of Otitis Media
Acute: Sudden presentation of severe ear pain, redness of TM, and fever
Recurrent: 3+ times in 6 months
Chronic: Lasts for longer than 8 weeks
Persistent: Has fluid and lasts 6 weeks or more even after antibiotics
