ENT Flashcards
1
Q
What is a tracheostomy?
A
- A hole that surgeons make through the front of the neck and into the trachea
- A tracheostomy tube provides an air passage to help the patient breathe when the usual route for breathing is somehow blocked or reduced
2
Q
What are the reasons for a tracheostomy?
A
- On a ventilator for an extended period
- Medical conditions that block or narrow the airway, such as vocal cord paralysis or throat cancer
- Paralysis, neurological problems or other conditions that make it difficult to cough up secretions from the throat and require direct suctioning of the trachea to clear the airway
- Preparation for major head or neck surgery to assist breathing during recovery
- Severe trauma to the head or neck
- Other emergency situations
3
Q
What is a laryngectomy?
A
- A surgery to remove part of all of the larynx (voice box)
- To treat laryngeal cancer or severe larynx damage
4
Q
What is a neck dissection?
A
- A surgery to examine and remove the lymph nodes in the neck that may contain cancer
5
Q
What are the 3 main types of neck dissection?
A
- Radical neck dissection
- Modified radical neck dissection
- Selective neck dissection
6
Q
What is radical neck dissection?
A
- All the tissue on the side of the neck from the jawbone to the collarbone is removed
- The muscle, nerve, salivary gland, and major blood vessel in this area are all removed
7
Q
What is modified radical neck dissection?
A
- This is the most common type
- All lymph nodes are removed
- Less neck tissue is taken out than with radical dissection
- This surgery may also spare the nerves in the neck and, sometimes, the blood vessels or muscles
8
Q
What is selective neck dissection?
A
- If cancer has not spread far, fewer lymph nodes have to be removed
- The muscle, nerve, and blood vessel in the neck may also be saved
9
Q
Why are neck dissections performed?
A
- The lymph system carries white blood cells around the body to fight infection
- Cancer cells in the mouth or throat can travel in the lymph nodes and get trapped in the lymph nodes
- The lymph nodes are removed to prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of the body and to decide if any more treatment is needed
10
Q
What is a glossectomy?
A
- The surgical removal of your tongue
- The procedure is used to treat tongue cancer when other treatment methods haven’t been successful
- Some people only need a portion of their tongue removed. In some cases, tissue is taken from other parts of your body to create a new tongue
11
Q
What is a thyroidectomy?
A
- The surgical removal of all or part of the thyroid gland
- The thyroid is the butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck
- It makes hormones that control every part of your metabolism, from your heart rate to how quickly you burn calories
12
Q
What is otitis externa?
A
- A condition that causes inflammation of the external ear canal, which is the tube between the outer ear and eardrum
- AKA swimmer’s ear because repeated exposure to water can make the ear canal more vulnerable to inflammation, as it creates a moist environment that aids the growth of bacteria
13
Q
What is tonsillitis?
A
- When the tonsils at the back of the throat become swollen caused by an infection
- The tonsils contain lots of white blood cells to fight infection. They “catch” the germs that enter the body through the nose or mouth
14
Q
What is quinsy?
A
- The abscess (a collection of pus) forms between one of the tonsils and the wall of the throat
- This can happen when a bacterial infection spreads from an infected tonsil to the surrounding area
- The tonsil is pushed inwards and making the soft palate bulge
- There is severe pain and difficulty swallowing, and usually difficult to open the mouth
15
Q
What is peritonsillar abscess?
A
A complication of tonsillitis