ENT Flashcards
The adenoids and tonsils produce what immune cells?
B cells (IgG and IgA)
In which paediatric age group is the peak incidence of OSA?
3-6 yrs
What are the three most common causes of hearing loss in children?
- Acute otitis media
- Otitis media with effusion (glue ear).
- Tympanic membrane perforation.
What are the most common bacterial causes of AOM?
- Streptococcus pneumonaie
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Moraxella catarrhalis
How would glue ear present on an audiogram?
Bone conduction normal, air conduction poor in the affected ear.
“Bone air gap”
How would glue ear present on an tympanogram?
Flat trace
Cholesteatoma is made of what cells?
Keratinising squamous epithelium.
What is the treatment for cholesteatoma?
Surgical - mastoidectomy
Complications of mastoidectomy for cholesteatoma?
Surgery risks further hearing loss or imbalance, injury to facial nerve (less concern is chorda tympani).
Main features of cholesteatoma:
- foul-smelling, non-resolving discharge
- hearing loss
What is the most common cause of bacterial tonsilitis?
Group A strep (strep pyogenes)
What is the centor criteria?
- No cough
- Fever
- Tonsilar exudates
- Lymphadenopathy
What is the antibiotic given for tonsilitis and how long for?
Penicillin V(also called phenoxymethylpenicillin) for a10-day course is typically first-line.
Treatment for quinsy?
Needle aspiration / surgical incision and drainage. Broad spec antibiotics after surgery.
What is a complication of rhinosinusitis?
Nasal polyps
What is the first line treatment for nasal polyps?
Topical steroid drops (to shrink the polyps).
Symptoms of nasal polyps:
Symptoms include watery anterior rhinorrhoea, purulent post-nasal drip, snoring, mouth-breathing and headaches.
Diagnosis of nasal polyps?
Diagnosis is confirmed by anterior rhinoscopy or nasal endoscopy.
What is the treatment for Meniere’s disease?
Betahistine to reduce the frequency of attacks.
Prochloroperazine for acute flare.
What is the name of the sleep study used to assess OSA?
Polysomnography
Is stridor inspiratory or expiratory?
Inspiratory
Most common cause of congenital stridor?
Laryngomalacia
Croup vs Epiglottitis
Pathogen?
Common age group?
- Croup = parainfluenza virus, 4 months -2 years, barking cough
- Epiglottitis = haemophilus influenza, 2-5years, drooling
Congenital hearing loss causes - autosomal dominant? (20% of cases)
Syndromic =Waardenburg, Branchio-oto-renal
Congenital hearing loss causes - autosomal recessive? (75% of cases)
Syndromic = Ushers, Pendreds; non-syndromic
=GJB2 mutation around 50% of all severe or profound hearing
X-linked causes of congenital hearing loss?
Alport’s
Albanism
Infective causes of acquired hearing loss in children?
TORCH infection
Other infections: meningitis, measles, encephalitis,
chicken pox, head injury, ototoxic drugs
TORCH infection causes what?
fetal death, prematurity, IUGR
IUGR
Intrauterine growth restriction
TORCH infections are what?
Toxoplasmosis, rubella, CMV, herpes simplex
What is the most common and concerning infective organism for otitis externa?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
also common Staph a.
E.coli / candidiasis / aspergillus
What are non-infective causes of otitis externa?
Eczema and psoriasis
Where does cholesteatoma arise from?
Pars flaccida
Important complication of otitis externa?
Benign necrotising otitis externa - osteomyelitis of the skull base. Patient is very unwell and in severe pain.
Complications of cholesteatoma if untreated?
- Deafness due to ossicular damage or inner ear damage
- Dizziness due to semicircular canal damage
- Facial palsy due to bony erosion of the facial canal
- Meningitis or other intracranial infection due to erosion of the tegmen
Treatment for chronic infective suppurative otitis media?
Ciprofloxacin drops. Gentamicin + hydrocortisone drops.
Define vertigo
Hallucination of movement
Summarise the symptoms of menieres:
- recurrent episodes of vertigo, tinnitus and hearing loss (sensorineural). Vertigo is usually the prominent symptom
- a sensation of aural fullness or pressure is now recognised as being common
- other features include nystagmus and a positive Romberg test
- episodes last minutes to hours
- typically symptoms are unilateral but bilateral symptoms may develop after a number of years
Classic BPPV history (1 line)
I roll over in bed and go dizzy for about 30 seconds.
What test confirms BPPV?
- what is a positive test?
Dix Hallpike
- observe for torsional nystagmus.
How is BPPV treated?
Epley manoeuvre
Long term complication of menieres?
Sensorineural hearing loss.
What are the key treatments for Menieres?
Transtympanic steroids
Chemical labyrinthectomy (gentamicin ablation)
What is vestibular neuritis?
Inflammation or infection, usually viral, of vestibular nerve
Presentation of vestibular neuronitis?
Vertigo is the only otological symptom - lasts days to weeks.
Often may follow a URTI.
Labyrinthitis
Inflammation or infection, usually viral, of the labyrinth structures:
semicircular canals, saccule, utricle
Symptoms of Labyrinthitis?
Vertigo + deafness and tinnitus lasts days to weeks.
Treatment for vestibular neuritis and labyrinthitis?
IM or oral prochlorperazine
- only given for first week as in order to recover brain needs to develop compensation.
Cooksey-Cawthorne exercises.