EENT Flashcards
History
- frequent colds, nasal stuffiness, nasal discharge, sinus trouble, head pain, hay fever, nosebleeds, sense of smell, unusual odors
- past or present trauma
Physical Exam
A. inspect for deformity, asymmetry, inflammation
B. inspection through anterior naris
1. limited to vestibule, anterior septum, lower and middle turbinate
C. tilt patient’s head back, insert otoscope
1. inspect mucosa
a. color (pink), edema, exudates, bleeding
i. red, swollen - rhinitis (bacterial or viral)
ii. pale, swollen - allergies
2. septum
a. deviation, bleeding, perforation
3. lower and middle turbinates
a. color, swelling, exudates, polyps
D. palpation
1. frontal sinuses
a. middle and medial supra-orbital ridge
2. maxillary sinuses
a. maxilla - under eyes
Testing
A. cultures of nasal discharge
B. x-rays, CT scans of sinuses
Emergencies
A. epistaxis if severe
1. usually associated with liver disease
B. fractures if nasal bones displaced
Epistaxis: nosebleed
- etiology
- trauma
a. digital (nose picking)
b. fractures - local infections
- systemic infections
- drying of membranes
- atherosclerosis
- hypertension
- liver disease
- diseases with bleeding tendencies
a. **leukemia (often first sign you see in kids), thrombocytopenia, aplastic anemia
-(Hypertension + atherosclerosis + drying of membranes = epistaxis, often not isolated)
Epistaxis
- treatment
- stop bleeding
a. pinch ala nasi together for 5-10 minutes
b. cotton pledget
c. cauterization - find and tx underlying cause
Rhinitis
- definition
acute URI with edema of nasal mucous membrane, nasal discharge, and obstruction
Rhinitis
- etiology
- respiratory viruses
- bacteria
a. streptococcus (pneumoccal and pyogenes), staphylococcus
Rhinitis
- signs and symptoms
- diagnosis
- nasal discharge
- nasal obstruction
- erythematous, edematous mucosa
- culture and sensitivity
Tx - antibiotics, topical vasoconstrictors, increase fluids, Vit C, Vit A, Zinc
Allergic Rhinitis
- signs and symptoms
- may be seasonal due to wind-borne pollens
- sneezing, rhinorrhea, congestion, pruritis (itching)
- pruritis of nose, mouth, pharynx, and eyes
- lacrimation, sneezing, watery nasal discharge
- frontal HA, irritability, anorexia, depression, insomnia
- injected conjunctiva
- swollen, pale, or gray nasal mucosa (starts pale, becomes red)
- dx by history and eosinophils in nasal secretions
- tx with oral antihistamines
- cromolyn sodium for prevention
- desensitization
Sinusitis
- definition
inflammation in paranasal sinuses due to viral, bacterial, fungal infections or allergic reactions
Sinusitis
- classification
1. Acute A. Less than 4 weeks in duration 2. Subacute A. 4-12 weeks in duration 3. Chronic A. 3 months or longer in duration
Sinusitis
- etiology (acute and chronic)
- acute
a. preceded by viral uri
b. strep, staph, hemophilus - chronic
a. 25% due to (undiagnosed) dental infections
Sinusitis
- signs and symptoms
- tender and swollen over the sinuses
- frontal pain and HA
- facial pain, HA, toothache
- loss of smell
- halitosis - (infection in sinuses)
- erythematous, edematous nasal mucosa
- mucopurulent nasal discharge
- decreased transillumination
Sinusitis
- testing
- culture and sensitivity of discharge
- x-rays
a. of sinuses and apices of teeth (R/O periapical abscess) - CT scan
a. better definition of extent and degree of infection
b. polyps
Tx - antibiotics, eliminate food sensitivities, Vit C, Vit A, Zinc, Steam inhalation, Revulsive hydrotherapy to face, sinus wash
PHARYNX
- history
A. problems in mouth, sores, sore tongue, condition of teeth and gums, bleeding gums, unusual or bad tastes, sore throats, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, “swollen glands” in neck
- (aphthos ulcers, could be indicative of infection of their areas of GI)
PHARYNX
- physical exam
A. inspect lips, gums, teeth, buccal mucosa, tongue for color, masses, bleeding, edema, ulceration
B. visualize pharynx with tongue depressor
1. soft palate, uvula, anterior and posterior tonsillar pillars, tonsils, posterior pharynx
C. palpate lymph nodes
1. pre and post auricular, occipital, tonsillar, submaxillary, submental, superior cervical, posterior cervical, deep cervical, supraclavicular
a. size, tenderness
PHARYNX
- testing
- culture and sensitivity — “really pretty simple, swab”
PHARYNX
- emergencies
A. Epiglottitis
1. Severe pain on swallowing, breathing difficulty
*never stick anything in pt’s mouth if you suspect this! Epiglottis could spasm and lock down.
Pharyngitis
- definition
- etiology
A. Inflammation of the pharynx
- usually viral - most likely, we don’t really know
- group A Beta hemolytic streptococcus pyogenes (pathogenic form of strep throat)
a. beefy red pharynx with exudates (pus)
i. in 20% of patients with strep
ii. others asx or mild sxs
- could get glomerular nephritis
b. scarlet fever
i. strep produces erythrogenic toxin
ii. diffuse pink-red rash over abdomen, lateral chest, skin folds
iii. strawberry tongue
iv. Pastia’s lines
Pharyngitis
- signs and symptoms
- sore throat, pain on swallowing, (if more bacterial) —> fever, cervical lymphadenopathy
Pharyngitis
- lab
- leukocytosis (with neutrophilia)
a. left shift if strep - rapid strep test, still some false positives and false negatives (if pos, always do a culture; if negative, maybe do a culture)
- culture for strep if rapid test negative but suspect still suspect strep
Tx -
- none if viral
- antibiotics (penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin) if strep
a. to prevent rheumatic fever, glomerulonephritis - vit. C, vit. A (if no liver issues), zinc (if cigarette smoker, no beta carotene)
- revulsive hydro to neck - alt hot and cold, so easy to get to the neck
- hydrastis
- Rub lymph nodes down to assist with drainage (firm, slow)
Tonsillitis
- definition
- etiology
A. inflammation of the tonsils
B. etiology
1. strep - “true tonsillitis caused by strep” 2. sometimes viral
Tonsillitis
- signs and symptoms
- sore throat, pain on swallowing often referred to ears (sharp pain that radiates to the ears - differentiate from pharyngitis)
- high(er) fever, HA, malaise, vomiting
- (used to be able to diagnose by peeling off exudate, “if peels off, strep tonsillitis”) - tonsils edematous and erythematous
- purulent exudate
- membrane on tonsils that peels away without bleeding