ENT Flashcards
What is the most common cause of tonsillitis?
Viral infection - do not require or respond to antibiotics.
What are the most common bacterial causes of tonsillitis?
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
Peak ages for tonsillitis.
5 to 10
15 and 20
Presentation of tonsillitis.
- fever
- sore throat
- painful swallowing
What is the Centor criteria?
Estimates the probability that tonsillitis is due to bacterial infection, and will therefore benefit from abx.
CENTOR ≥3:
- fever > 38°C
- tonsillar exudates
- absence of cough
- tender lymphadenopathy
Tonsillitis differentials.
- meningitis
- epiglottitis
- peritonsillar abscess
Management of viral tonsillitis.
- simple analgesia to control pain and fever
- return if not settled within 3 days or fever >38.3°C
- consider delayed antibiotic prescription
Management of bacterial tonsillitis.
Phenoxymethylpenicillin 10/7
Tastes bad so young children are reluctant to take it.
Clarithromycin recommended in true penicillin allergy.
Complications of tonsillitis.
- chronic tonsillitis
- peritonsillar abscess
- otitis media
- Scarlet fever
- Rheumatic fever
- post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis
- post-streptococcal reactive arthritis
What is a peritonsillar abscess?
Bacterial infection with trapped pus, forming an abscess in the region of the tonsills.
Presentation of peritonsillar abscess.
Symptoms of tonsillitis plus:
- trismus (unable to open mouth)
- change in voice due to pharyngeal swelling
- drooling
Cause of peritonsillar abscess.
Bacterial infection:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Haemophilus influenzae
Management of quinsy.
Refer to ENT for incision and drainage under general anaesthetic.
IV antibiotics should be given.
When is tonsillectomy recommended?
≥ 7 episodes in 1 year.
≥ 5 episodes per year for 2 years.
≥3 episodes per year for 3 years.
Complications of tonsillectomy.
- sore throat
- damage to teeth
- infection
- post-tonsillectomy bleeding
- risk of general anaesthetic
What is post tonsillectomy bleeding?
Significant bleeding that occurs within 2 weeks of the operation, which may result in life-threatening aspiration of blood.
Management of post tonsillectomy bleeding.
- call ENT registrar
- IV access and send bloods (FBC, clotting screen, G&S, Xmatch)
- sit child up and encourage to spit
- NBM
- IV fluids
Aetiology of otitis media.
Most common bacterial cause is Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Other causes include:
- haemophilus influenzae
- Moraxella catarrhalis
- Staphylococcus aureus
Presentation of otitis media.
- ear pain
- reduced hearing
- fever
- cough
- coryzal symptoms
- sore throat
- vertigo
- discharge
Examination findings of otitis media.
Tympanic membrane:
- bulging
- red
- inflamed
Where there is perforation, you may see discharge.
Management of otitis media.
Most cases will resolve without antibiotics within 3 days - simple analgesia for pain and fever.
Antibiotic prescription for otitis media.
Immediate antibiotics - significant comorbidities, systemically unwell or immunocompromised.
Delayed prescription - collect after 3 days, useful for patients keen on antibiotics.
Complications of otitis media.
- otitis media with effusion
- hearing loss
- perforation
- recurrent infection
- mastoiditis
- abscess
Pathophysiology of otitis media with effusion (OME).
Blockage of the eustachian tube causes middle ear secretions to accumulate in the middle ear space.