ENT Flashcards
What are the ranges of hearing loss from NML to Profound
Decibel ranges are from 0-80dB
And increase in 20 dB intervals
NML; 0-20 (whisper)
Mild: 20-40
ModL 40-60 (NML spoken voice)
Severe 60-80
And Profound is hearing loss greater than 80dB (shouting)
What are the 4 causes of Conductive Hearing Loss
Four mechanisms each result in impairment of the passage of sound vibrations to the inner ear:
(1) obstruction
(eg, cerumen impaction)
(2) mass loading
(eg, middle ear effusion)
(3) stiffness
(eg, otosclerosis)
(4) discontinuity
(eg, ossicular disruption)
What are the most common causes of conductive hearing loss in adults
Conductive losses in adults are most commonly due to cerumen impaction or transient eustachian tube dysfunction from upper respiratory tract infection.
What is the cause of sensory hearing loss
Sensory hearing loss results from deterioration of the cochlea, usually due to loss of hair cells from the organ of Corti
What is the most common form of sensory hearing loss
The most common form is a gradually progressive, predominantly high-frequency loss with advancing age (presbyacusis)
Is senosry hearing loss correctable?
Is conduction hearing loss correctable?
Sensory hearing loss is usually not correctable with medical or surgical therapy but often may be prevented or stabilized.
An exception is a sudden sensory hearing loss, which may respond to corticosteroids if delivered within several weeks of onset.
What is the exception for treating sensory hearing loss that occurs suddenly
Usually senosry hearing loss is not correctable unless it occurs sunddely in which case it can be treated with corticosteroids within the first several weeks of onset
What are the 4 areas that can contribute to neural hearing loss
Neural hearing loss lesions involve:
-eighth cranial nerve
-auditory nuclei
-ascending tracts
-auditory cortex
What are the common causes of neural hearing loss
Causes include acoustic neuroma, multiple sclerosis, and auditory neuropathy.
Weber lateralized to the normal ear and AC>BC on Rinne
What kind of hearing loss
Sensorineural
AC>BC= Normal
And AC latz to the NML ear
Weber laterlizes to the Affected Ear and BC>AC on Rinne
What kind of hearing loss
This is Conductive
Sound is not getting through the ear canal
How does conductive hearing loss appear on audiology
Pure-tone thresholds in decibels (dB) are obtained over the range of 250–8000 Hz for both air and bone conduction.
Conductive losses create a gap between the air and bone thresholds
How does Sensorineural Hearing loss show on Audiology
Pure-tone thresholds in decibels (dB) are obtained over the range of 250–8000 Hz for both air and bone conduction.
in sensorineural losses, both air and bone thresholds are equally diminished.
What are the thresholds for Audiology dB
Formal audiometric studies are performed in a soundproofed room.
Pure-tone thresholds in decibels (dB) are obtained over the range of 250–8000 Hz for both air and bone conduction
What does speech discrimination measure
Speech discrimination measures the clarity of hearing, reported as percentage correct
(90–100% is normal).
What is the most specific and sensitive test for detecting central lesions that contribute to hearing loss
Auditory brainstem-evoked responses may determine whether the lesion is sensory (cochlea) or neural (central).
However, MRI scanning is more sensitive and specific in detecting central lesions.
Every patient who complains of a hearing loss should be referred for….
audiologic evaluation unless the cause is easily remediable
(eg, cerumen impaction, otitis media)
What is the Treatment for pts with idiopathic sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss
Immediate audiometric referral is indicated for patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss because it requires treatment (corticosteroids) within a limited several-week time period
When is routine audiologic screening recommended
Routine audiologic screening is recommended for adults with prior exposure to potentially injurious noise levels or in adults at age 65, and every few years thereafter.
What is the Hearing aid that is best for conductive hearing loss or those with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss
For patients with conductive loss or unilateral profound sensorineural loss, bone-conducting hearing aids directly stimulate the ipsilateral cochlea (for conductive losses) or contralateral ear (profound unilateral sensorineural loss).
What pts benefit from cochlear implants for hearing loss
In most adults with severe to profound sensory hearing loss, the cochlear implant—an electronic device that is surgically implanted into the cochlea to stimulate the auditory nerve—offers socially beneficial auditory rehabilitation
What seperates polychondritis and perichondritits
Polychondritis and perichondritis may be differentiated from cellulitis by sparing of involvement of the lobule, which does not contain cartilage.
What is the treatment for traumatic auricular hematoma
Traumatic auricular hematoma must be drained to prevent significant cosmetic deformity (cauliflower ear) or canal blockage resulting from dissolution of supporting cartilage
Define Relapsing polychondritis
Relapsing polychondritis is characterized by recurrent, frequently bilateral, painful episodes of auricular erythema and edema and sometimes progressive involvement of the cartilaginous tracheobronchial tree.
What is the treatment that may forestall cartilage dissolution in pts with relapsing polychondritis
Treatment with corticosteroids may help forestall cartilage dissolution.
Why must ear irrigation be done with water at body temp
Irrigation is performed with water at body temperature to avoid a vestibular caloric response.
(Vertigo)
Where is the stream of irrigation directed in the ear to remove cerumen impaction
The stream should be directed at the posterior ear canal wall adjacent to the cerumen plug.
Can you irrigate a cerum impaction if there is evidence of tympanic membrane?
NO!
Irrigation should be performed only when the tympanic membrane is known to be intact.
What agent can be used to dry the ear canal after cerumen dis impaction
Alcohol
(To reduce the likely hood of external otitis)
Tympanic membrane perforation may lead to what complication
Cholesteatoma
What is the most common location for a tympanic membrane rupture
At the Pars Tensa
A pt presents with ear pain with sudden pain relief and bloody otorrhea, tinnitus and vertigo
Think
Tympanic Rupture
What type of hearing loss is associated with tympanic rupture
Conductive hearing loss
What should be avoided in pts with tympanic rupture
Water immersion and topical Aminoglycosides (gentamycin)
What instrument is used to remove firm objects lodged in the ear
Firm materials may be removed with a loop or a hook, taking care not to displace the object medially toward the tympanic membrane; microscopic guidance is helpful
Should organic material be removed with aqueous irrigation
Aqueous irrigation should not be performed for organic foreign bodies (eg, beans, insects), because water may cause them to swell
What is the best way to remove insects for the ear canal
Living insects are best immobilized before removal by filling the ear canal with lidocaine.
What is a possible complication of otitis externa in DM or immunocomprimised pts
In diabetic or immunocompromised patients, osteomyelitis of the skull base (“malignant external otitis”) may occur.