ENT Flashcards
Describe the anatomy of the external ear?
- Lined with skin
- Supplied by the greater auricular nerve, lesser occipital and facial nerve
- Includes the pinna, external auditory meatus, and tympanic membrane
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Auricle / pinna = visible ear: mostly made of elastic cartilage, thrown into folds, only the lobule is fatty
- Outer curvature = helix, inner curvature = antihelix
- Concha = hollow depression → external auditory meatus
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External acoustic/ auditory meatus: sigmoid shape, from deep part of concha to tympanic membrane
- External 1/3 is cartilage, inner 2/3 is temporal bone
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Tympanic membrane: connective tissue, skin on outside, mucous membrane on inside which is connected to temporal bone by fibrocartilaginous ring Divides external ear from middle ear
- The pars flaccida is the weakest and most flaccid area of TM
- Pars tensa forms the rest
- The tip of the handle of the malleus forms the umbo: deepest concavity
Is this image from the left or right side of the body?
Identify the indicated parts of the tympanic membrane
- Pars flaccida (attic region)
- Below this is pars tensa- the translucent region
- Lateral process of malleus
- Anterior malleolar fold
- Cone of light (light reflex)
- Umbo- fibrous attachment to tympanic membrane
- Handle of malleus
- Posterior malleolar fold
This image is from the right side of the body- the key difference is the cone-shaped light reflection of the otoscope light is seen at 4 to 5 o clock position in the right tympanic membrane, and 7 to 8 o clock position in the left
Identify the indicated parts of the external ear:
What is the pinna?
- Concha
- Tragus
- External acoustic meatus
- Lobule
- Antitragus
- Antihelix
- Helix
Pinna = auricle = the external ear that we see:
- Cartilage underlying skin
- Lobule is just fat
Identify the indicated parts of the external, middle and internal ear
- Auricle
- External acoustic meatus
- Cartilage
- Tympanic membrane
- Pharyngotympanic tube
- Pharynx
- Internal acoustic meatus
Describe the anatomy of the middle ear- what’s its function & how does it perform said function?
- Air-containing space connected to the nasopharynx via the eustachian tube
- Lined with respiratory epithelium (mucous membrane)
- Function is to amplify and transmit sound energy efficiently from air to a fluid medium in the cochlea
- Ossicles connected via synovial joints
- Sound waves cause movement in TM, creates movement or oscillation in auditory ossicles
- This movement helps transmit sound waves from the TM of external ear to oval window of inner ear (cochlea)
- Ossicle movement tampered by 2 muscles tensor tympani + stapedius - these contract if XS vibration due to loud noise: protective, acoustic reflex
- 3 ossicles
- Malleus
- Incus
- Stapes
Describe the anatomy of the inner ear
- 2 functions
- Convert mechanical signals from middle ear into electrical signals which can transfer info to auditory pathway of brain
- Maintain balance by detecting position + motion
- The inner ear is located within the petrous part of the temporal bone
- Lies between the middle ear and the internal acoustic meatus
- Fluid-filled
- Has a bony labyrinth and membranous labyrinth
- BONY LABYRINTH:
- Central vestible
- Spiral cochlea- fluid-filled tube with specialised hair cells that generate action potentials when moved = organ of hearing
- 3 semicircular ducts
- MEMBRANOUS LABYRINTH:
- 3 semi-circular canals: anterior, lateral, posterior = organs of balance
- Urtricle/ saccule
- Semicircular canals
- BONY LABYRINTH:
Identify the indicated structures related to the inner ear
- Central vestibule
- Semicircular canals
- Semicircular duct
- Facial nerve
- Vestibular nerve
- Vestibulocochlear nerve
- Internal acoustic meatus
- Cochlear nerve
- Cochlea
- Cochlear duct
What is the vestibular system?
- Somatosensory portion of the nervous system
- Detects motion, head position, and spatial orientation
- Central and peripheral portions
- Peripheral
- Vestibular labyrinth
- = proprioceptive components of inner ear
- Semicircular canals- contain cells that detect angular acceleration of head
- Utricle and saccule- contain cells that detect the linear acceleration of head & spatial orientation of head
- = proprioceptive components of inner ear
- Vestibular ganglion- receives inputs from the above receptors
- Vestibulocochlear nerve- transmits info to central portion
- Vestibular labyrinth
- Central
- Vestibular nuclei in brainstem
- Projections into cerebellum, spinal cord, thalamus, nuclei of occulomotor/ trochlear/ abducens nerve
- Peripheral
What is the sensory supply to the pinna?
- Upper lateral surface- CN V3- Auriculotemporal nerve
- Lower lateral surface & medial surface- C3- Greater auricular nerve
- Superior medial surface- C2/ C3- lesser occipital nerve
- External auditory meatus- auricular branch of vagus nerve
What are the branches of the trigeminal nerve & their functions?
- CN V1: Ophthalmic division
- CN V2: Maxillary division
- CN V3: Mandibular division
How does a haematoma form in the auricle?
Why is it important to recognise pinna haematoma?
- The pinna is a well vascularised area
- How does a haematoma form? Shearing forces can lead to separation of the anterior auricular perichondrium from the underlying tightly adherent cartilage- there can be tearing of the perichondrial blood vessels and subsequent haematoma formation
- If not drained early, the haematoma can compromise the viability of the auricular cartilage & lead to avascular necrosis, this can stimulate new & asymmetrical cartilage growth leading to cauliflower ear deformity- cosmetically unpleasant for pts
- Another complication if not drained is infection & abscess formation – due to the compromised blood supply to the cartilage
How to recognise & treat a pinna haematoma?
- Pinna will appear swollen, fluctuant & mildly erythematous
- Hx of trauma- determine mechanism of injury
- Exclude other head injuries & assess hearing function
- Drainage required within 24hrs of injury
- Can be done in A&E/ outpatient setting under aseptic conditions
- Local anaesthetic w/o adrenaline eg 1% lidocaine infiltration
- Smaller haematoma- aspiration with 10ml syringe attached to wide bore needle- though high recurrence rate
- Larger haematoma- incision & drainage w/ blade- incise along helical rim (most fluctuant part), squeeze out haematoma completely & wash cavity with saline, 2 dental rolls on either side of ear to close perichondrial space- prevent recollection of haematoma
- Tight bandage is placed with gauze used as padding in front of & behind ear- removed 2-3 days later in ENT clinic
Once a pinna haematoma has been drained, the patient can usually be discharged. Does the patient need to be sent home with antibiotics, if so which ones?
- If ear clearly contaminated, haematoma older than 24 hrs, or signs of infection à give abx too eg oral amoxicillin or clarithromycin
Causes of a tympanic membrane perforation? How do pts commonly present?
- Traumatic
- Blunt force trauma to external ear canal eg RTA, blow to side of head
- Penetrating trauma eg cotton buds, iatrogenic injury during microsuction
- Barotrauma eg explosions, scuba diving
- Otitis media
- Presentation: otalgia, hearing loss (conductive), aural fullness, tinnitus, serosanguinous discharge
How to assess & manage a tympanic membrane perforation?
- Assess facial nerve function & document
- Assess hearing- Rinne’s and Weber’s & document
- Battle’s sign- ecchymosis (bruising) behind ear- suggestive of skull base fracture- CT head
- Topical abx not routinely required for dry perforation; if evidence of contamination then they may be used. Advise pt to keep ear dry and clean to reduce risk of secondary infection
- When showering with shampoo or soap use water precautions such as soft ball of cotton wool rolled in petroleum jelly & placed gently against the canal
- A little blood is normal- if extensive, suspect a more serious injury
- Specialist follow-up not routinely required; they heal spontaneously with 8wks
- Advise if they get recurrent ear discharge or their hearing declines, then seek referral to ENT clinic
- For non-hearing perforations (after 6months) w/ persistent hearing loss/ recurrent infections- surgical repair: myringoplasty to repair the TM
Red flags for temporal bone fracture?
- CSF otorrhoea/ rinorrhoea
- Facial nerve paralysis
- Post-auricular or periorbital ecchymosis
- Haemotympanum/ pinna haematoma/ lacerations
- Severe nystagmus
- Vertigo
Why is it important to recognise a fracture of the temporal bone?
- Potential ENT short & long term complications include CSF leak, meningitis, hearing loss, facial nerve palsy
Describe the management of temporal bone fracture?
- CT head within 1 hour
- Assess for vascular injury- carotid canal involved on CT or suspected clinically
- Assess for complications
- Facial nerve palsy
- Eye protection, tape eye closed at night
- If delayed onset consider 5 days prednisolone (delayed onset is better prognosis)
- CSF leak
- β2-transferrin sample to confirm diagnosis
- Give pneumococcal vaccine
- Monitor for signs of meningitis- uncommon in traumatic CSF leak
- Elevate head & give stool softeners
- Most leaks will resolve with conservative mx- period of bed rest with measures to reduce fluctuations in ICP
- Consider lumbar drain if not settling
- Surgical repair if persisting >10 days
- Vertigo
- Manage conservatively where possible
- Use vestibular suppressants sparingly
- Perform otoscopy & anterior rhinoscopy
- Facial nerve palsy
- Follow up in ENT skull base clinic eg at 6wks- perform pure tone audiometry and tympanometry, refer for hearing aids if required
What is haemotympanum & what can it suggest?
- Blood in middle ear- seen behind tympanic membrane
- Associated w/ conductive hearing loss
- Can suggest a basilar skull fracture- other features:
- Battle’s sign (bruising over mastoid process)
- Raccoon eyes (bruising around eyes)
- CSF rinorrhoea/ CSF otorrhoea
- Urgent head CT
- What is otitis externa?
- How does it present?
- How would you expect the ear canal and tympanic membrane to appear?
- How is otitis externa managed?
- Inflammation of external ear canal
- Due to bacterial or fungal infection
- Always consider underlying otitis media as otitis externa may be secondary to otorrhoea from otitis media
- Hx- ear pain, discharge, aural fullness, conductive hearing loss, itchiness
- There may be trigger- eg swimming or cotton bud use
- Acute otitis externa: pre-auricular lymphadenopathy
- O/E- canal may be open or swollen close, tenderness in ear canal, pus or discharge in ear canal, lymphadenopathy, associated furuncle (infected canal wall hair follicle) may occlude canal
- Ix- ear swab for microscopy, culture & sensitivity
- Mx-
- Protect ear canal from water entry
- Topical abx first line eg ciprofloxacin, gentamicin drops- TDS, for 7-14days
- Topical acetic acid 2% spray for mild cases
- Failure to improve with abx may suggest fungal cause- topical fungal treatment eg clotrimazole drops
- +/- steroid drops to reduce canal inflammation and reduce swelling- allowing the abx to penetrate better and reduce pain
- Microsuction of pus/ debris which enables the drops to get to the source of infection
- Severe infection- wick may be used to hold canal open to allow topical treatment to diffuse through
- Analgesia
Suggest some examples of causative microorganisms of acute otitis externa?
- Bacterial-
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa- gneg, can colonise lungs in pts with CF, resistant to many abx, treat with aminoglycosides (gentamicin) or quinolones (ciprofloxacin)
- Staph aureus
- Fungal- candida albicans (whitish blobs of rice pudding)
What are some risk factors for developing otitis externa?
- Interfering with the protective mechanism of the external auditory canal
- Frequent water contact eg swimmers
- Humid environment
- Presence of ear polyps or foreign bodies
- Narrow ear canals
- Ear eczema or psoriasis
- Local trauma eg hearing aid or cotton buds
- Immunocompromised, diabetes
What are some complications of otitis externa and who’s at risk of developing these complications?
- Significant risk factors:
- Diabetes mellitus
- Age > 65
- Recurrent AOE
- Chemo or radiotherapy or immunocompromised in another way
- Complications:
- Necrotising otitis externa (previously known as malignant otitis externa)- infection spreads from external auditory canal to skull base
- Classic example is elderly diabetic man with severely painful chronically discharging ear
- Deep seated severe ear pain
- Cranial nerve palsy- commonly CN VII
- Most common causative organism: pseudomonas aeruginosa
- CT scan: thickening & enhancement of soft tissue, opacification of mastoid air cells & abscess formation
- Aggressive IV abx as well as topical treatment required to eradicate infection
- 6wks
- Localised abscess formation
- Cause: staph aureus
- Localised fluctuant swelling which may form in or around affected ear
- Rupture- purulent discharge
- Peri-auricular or pinna cellulitis
- Pain, erythema, swelling and warmth of pinna or around ear
- Systemic symptoms- fever, generalised illness, regional lymphadenopathy
- Chronic stenosis of ear canal
- Due to fibrosis within ear canal
- Formation of a false fundus covering the TM
- Distinct from irreversible acute stenosis (which is due to inflammation)
- Necrotising otitis externa (previously known as malignant otitis externa)- infection spreads from external auditory canal to skull base
Most common causative organism of malignant otitis externa? What to do if you suspect it?
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Ix- microbiology/ swabs of discharge, IV access, FBC, U&Es, serum glucose, CRP, ESR
- Blood cultures if pyrexial
- Sepsis 6
- CT temporal bone (fine slice) if NOE suspected