ENT Flashcards
What are the two types of hearing loss
Conductive
Sensorineural
List the basic stuctures of the ear from outside in
Outer ear - Pinna - External auditory canal Middle ear - Tympanic membrane - Eustachian tube - Malleous, incus and stapes Inner ear - Semicircular canals - Cochlea - Vestibulocochlear nerve
Describe the presentation of hearing loss
Gradual and insidious
Sudden <72hrs
May be associated symptoms
- Tinnitus
- Vertigo
- Pain
- Discharge
- Neurological symptoms
What are people with hearing loss more likely to develop
Dementia
Where is the tuning fork placed in Weber’s test
Forehead
Describe the results of Weber’s test
Normal - sound heard equally in both ears
Sensorineural - sound heard louder in the normal ear
Conductive - sound heard louder in affected ear
Where is the tuning fork placed in Rinne’s test?
On the mastoid process and then in front of the ear
Describe Rinne’s positive
Air conduction is better than bone conduction - normal or sensorineural hearing loss
Describe Rinne’s negative
When bone conduction is better than air conduction - conductive hearing loss
List some causes of sensorineural hearing loss
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss - <72hrs Presbycusis (age related) Noise exposure Meniere's disease Labyrinthitis Acoustic neuroma Neurological conditions Infection Medications - loop diuretics (furosemide), aminoglycoside antibiotics (gentamicin), chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin)
List some causes of conductive hearing loss
Ear wax Infection Fluid in middle ear - effusion Eustachian tube dysfunction Perforated tympanic membrane Otosclerosis Cholesteatoma Exostoses Tumour
Describe the symbols on an audiogram for the different ears and air conduction and bone conduction
Bone conduction
[ Right ear
] Left ear
Air conduction
O Right ear
X Left ear
What dB is normal hearing
0-20dB
How is hearing tested in audiometry
Bone conduction - ossiclators
Air conduction - headphones
Different tones/frequencies (Hz) played at different volumes (dB) The louder the volume needed to hear a tone, the worse the hearing
Describe the audiometry result in mixed conductive and sensorineural hearing loss
Bone conduction better than air conduction with more than 15dB difference between the two
Both greater than 20dB
Describe the audiometry result for sensorineural hearing loss
Both air and bone conduction will be more than 20dB
Describe the audiometry result for conductive hearing loss
Bone conduction will be normal
Air conduction will be greater than 20dB
What is presbycusis
Age related hearing loss
Type of sensorineural hearing loss
Affects high pitched sounds first and more notably
Loss of hair cells in cochlea, loss of neurones in cochlea, atrophy of the stria vascularis and reduced endolymphatic potential
List the risk factors for presbycusis
Age Male gender FH Loud noise exposure DM HTN Ototoxic medications Smoking
How do people with presbycusis present?
Gradual and insidious hearing loss
May have associated tinnitus
Male voices easier to hear
May struggle to keep up with conversations in loud environments
How is presbycusis diagnosed
Audiometry - sensorineural pattern - near normal hearing for lower frequencies
Describe the management of presbycusis
Optimise the environment
Hearing aids
Cochlear implants if hearing aids are not sufficient
Define sudden sensorineural hearing loss
Hearing loss less than 72hrs unexplained by other causes
Otological emergency and requires immediate referral to the on call ENT team
When conductive hearing loss causes excluded
List the causes of sudden sensorineural hearing loss
Most are idiopathic >90%
Infection Meniere's disease Ototoxic medications Multiple sclerosis Migraine Stroke Acoustic neuroma Cogan's syndrome
How is sudden sensorineural hearing loss investigated
Audiometry - loss of 30 dB in 3 consecutive frequencies
CT/MRI - stroke and acoustic neuroma
How is sudden sensorineural hearing loss managed
Same day referral to ENT for assessment <24hrs
Steroids - Oral or intratympanic
May be permanent or may resolve over couple days-weeks
What is the eustachian tube
Tube from the middle ear to the throat - equalise the air pressure in the middle ear and drain fluid from the middle ear
Describe eustachian tube dysfunction
When the eustachian tube is not functioning correctly or becomes blocled, the air pressure cannot equalise properly and fluid cannot drain freely from the middle ear
The air pressure between middle ear and environment becomes unequal and middle ear can fill with fluid
What may cause eustachian tube dysfunction
Recent viral upper respiratory tract infection
Smoking
How does eustachian tube dysfunction present
Reduced or altered hearing Popping noises or sensations in the ear A fullness sensation in the ear Pain or discomfort Tinnitus
Symptoms get worse when external air pressure changes and the middle ear cannot equalise to the outside pressure
What investigations can you do for eustachian tube dysfunction
Otoscopy - middle ear infection
Tympanometry - reduced admittance in dysfunction as lower middle ear pressure
Audiometry
Nasopharyngoscopy
CT scan
Describe the management of eustachian tube dysfunction
No treatment -wait for it to resolve on its own
Valsalva manoeuvre - holding nose and blowing into it to inflate eustachian tubes or otovent (balloon you blow into with one nostril bought OTC to inflate Eustachian tubes)
Decongestant nasal sprays
Antihistamines and steroid nasal spray
Surgery - remove adenoids, grommets, balloon dilation eustachian tuboplasty (insert balloon into tube and inflate it for a couple mins before removal)
Describe otosclerosis
Remodelling of the small bones in the middle ear - stapes connected to oval window of the cochlea where it transmits vibrations into cochlea and converts them into sensory signals. Stapes becomes stiff and cannot transmit the sound
Occurs <40yo
Combined environment and genetic factors (autosomal dominant)
Conductive hearing loss
Lower frequency sound
Describe how otosclerosis presents
Unilateral or bilateral
Hearing loss - lower pitched sounds
Tinnitus
Perception that their voice is louder so they may talk quietly
Describe the examination findings in otoscelrosis
Otoscopy is normal
Conductive hearing loss - Weber’s is normal if bilateral otosclerosis, otherwise sound heard more in affected ear
Rinnes - bone conduction is greater than air conduction
List some investigations for otosclerosis
Audiometry - conductive hearing loss - bone conduction normal however air conduction greater than 20dB at lower frequencies
Tympanometry - reduced admittance (absopriton) - TM stiff and non compliant reflecting most sound back
High resolution CT - bony changes
How is otosclerosis managed
Hearing aids
Surgery can be curative - stapedectomy or stapedotomy - replace stapes with prosthesis
Describe otitis media
Infection of the middle ear
Bacteria enter from back of throat via eustachian tube. Viral infection often precedes bacterial infection
What is the most common bacterial cause of otitis media and some other less common bacterial causes
Most common - Streptococcus pneumoniae
Moraxella catarrhalis
Haemophilus influenzae
Staphylococcus aureus
Describe the presentation of otitis media
Ear pain Reduced hearing in affected ear Feeling generally unwell - fever Symptoms of URTI - cough, coryzal, sore throat Vertigo and balance issues When TM perforated - pain and discharge
Describe what is seen on examination in otitis media
Otoscopy - Red, bulging, inflamed tympanic membrane. May have a hole and discharge in the external auditory canal if it has perforated
Describe the management of otitis media
Most redsolve without Antibioitics within 3 days to a week
Consider antibiotics if co-morbidity, systemically unwell or immunocompromised. Also consider delayed prescription of antibiotics for patients wanting them
1st line - amoxicillin 5-7days
Clarithromycin in penicillin allergic patients and erythromycin in pregnant penicillin allergic
Safety net the patients
Advise simple analgesia for fever and pain
List some complications of otitis media
Effusion Hearing loss Perforated TM Labyrinthitis Mastoiditis Abscess Facial nerve palsy Meningitis
What is otitis externa
Inflammation of the skin in the external auditory canal
Localised/diffuse
Acute <3weeks or chronic >3weeks
What causes otitis externa
Swimming Trauma - ear buds Bacterial infection Fungal infection - aspergillus and candida Eczema Seborrheic dermatitis Contact dermatitis
What are the two most common bacterial causes of otitis externa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Staphylococcus aureus
What type of bacteria is pseudomonas aeruginosa
Gram negative aerobic Rod
How does otitis externa present
Ear pain
Discharge
Itchiness
Conductive hearing loss
O/E: Erythema and swelling in the ear canal, tenderness, pus or discharge from the ear canal and lymphadenopathy
How is otitis externa diagnosed
Otoscopy
Ear swab - identify the organism but not usually required
Describe the management of otitis externa
Mild - acetic acid 2% (ear calm) - anti-fungal and antibacterial so can be used prophylactically before and after swimming in those prone
Moderate - topical antibiotic and steroid - otomize spray (neomycin, dexamethasone and acetic Acid)
Patients with severe/systemic symptoms may need oral antibiotics (flucloxacillin or clarithromycin) or discussion with ENT for admission for IV
Ear wick may be used if canal very swollen and treatment with sprays and drops difficult - made of sponge or gauze. Contain topical treatment. Inserted into the ear for 48hrs and left so the swelling settles and treatment can continue with drops or sprays after
What must you check for before prescribing aminoglycoside antibiotics such as topical gentamicin or neomycin
Perforated TM - lead to ototoxicity
Which antibiotics are typically used to treat pseudomonas
Aminoglycosides - gentamicin or neomycin
Quinolones - ciprofloxacin
Describe malignant otitis externa
Severe and life threatening
Infection spreads to bones - osteomyelitis of the temporal bone
Symptoms are more severe than otitis externa with persistent headaches, severe pain and fever
Granulation tissue at the junction between the bone and cartilage in the ear canal
List some risk factors for otitis externa
Diabetes
HIV
Immunosuppression
Describe the treatment of malignant otitis externa
Admission to hospital
IV antibiotics
Imaging - CT/MRI - extent of infection
List the complications of malignant otitis externa
Facial nerve damage and palsy Other cranial nerve involvement Meningitis Intracranial thrombosis Death
Describe the symptoms of impacted ear wax
Conductive hearing loss Discomfort in the ear A feeling of fullness Pain Tinnitus Can be seen with an otoscope
How is impacted ear wax treated
Mild - olive oil or sodium bicarbonate 5% drops
Ear irrigation
Microscution if infection or perforated TM so irrigation is CI
Describe tinnitus
Ringing/extra sound heard that is not present in the environment
Additional noise experienced is a result of background sensory signal produced by the cochlea that is not effectively filtered out by the CNS
Becomes more prominent the more attention is given to it
List the causes of tinnitus
Primary - idiopathic and likely sensorineural hearing loss too
Secondary - impacted ear wax, ear infection, Meniere’s disease, noise exposure, medications (furosemide, gentamicin, quinine, NSAIDs and chemo), acoustic neuroma, MS, trauma and depression
May occur with systemic conditions - anaemia, DM, hypo/hyperthyroidism, hyperlipidaemia
What is objective tinnitus and what causes it
The patient can objectively hear an extra sound within their head
Carotid artery stenosis - pulsatile carotid bruit
Aortic stenosis - radiating pulsatile murmur
AV malformation - pulsatile,
Eustachian tube dysfunction - clicking or popping noises
Describe the assessment in tinnitus
Hx
- Unilateral or bilateral
- Frequency and duration
- Severity
- Pulsatile or non-pulsatile
- Contributing factor - hearing loss or loud noise
- Associated symptoms - hearing loss, vertigo, pain or discharge
- Stress and anxiety
- Otoscopy
- Weber’s and Rinnes test
List some investigations you can do for tinnitus
FBC - anaemia Glucose - DM TSH - thyroid disease Lipids - hyperlipidaemia Audiology Imaging - CT/MRI - AV malformation or acoustic neuroma
List some tinnitus red flags which require specialist assessment
Unilateral Pulsatile Hyperacusis - hypersensitivity, pain and distress with environmental sounds Hearing loss (especially if sudden) Vertigo/dizziness Headache/visual symptoms Neurological symptoms Suicidal ideation related to tinnitus
How is tinnitus managed
Most improve/resolve over time with no interventions
Underlying cause treated
Several measures to help improve symptoms
- Hearing aid
- Sound therapy
- CBT
Describe vertigo
Sensation that there is movement between the patient and their environment
Associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating and feeling generally unwell
Sensory inputs responsible for maintaining balance and posture are vision, proprioception and signals from the vestibular system. Vertigo is caused by a mismatch between these sensory inputs
Describe the vestibular system
Vestibular apparatus is in the inner ear, it consists of three loops called the semi-circular canals that are filled with endolymph. As the head turns, the endolymph moves and the fluid shift is detected by stereocilia in the ampulla. Signal is transmitted to the brain by the vestibular nerve to the vestibular nucleus in brainstem and cerebellum
What are the two groups the causes of vertigo
Peripheral problem - vestibular system
Central problem - brainstem and cerebellum
List the causes of peripheral vertigo
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) Meniere's disease Vestibular neuronitis Labyrinthitis Trauma to the vestibular nerve Vestibular nerve tumour Otosclerosis Hyperviscosity syndrome Herpes zoster infection - ramsay hunt syndrome - facial weakness and vesicles around the ear
Describe what causes benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Crystals of calcium carbonate (otoconia) displaced in the semi-circular canals with viruses, age, trauma or without clear cause. Crystals disrupt the normal flow through the canals and therefore disrupt the function of the system.
Describe the presentation of BPPV
Positional attacks - triggered by movement
Last around a minute before symptoms settle
Occur over several weeks and then resolve, then can recur weeks or months later
How is BPPV diagnosed
Dix-Hallpike manoeuvre
Describe Menieres disease
Excessive build up of endolymph in the semicircular canals causing a higher than normal pressure and disrupting the sensory signals.
Describe the presentation of Meniere’s disease
Hearing loss Tinnitus Vertigo Sensation of fullness in the ear Attacks last several hours Mostly occurs in middle aged Not associated with movement/position Spontaneous nystagmus during episodes hearing will gradually deteriorate overtime