ENT Flashcards
Presbyacusis audiogram?
- Bilateral impairment
- High frequency hearing loss
- Downward sloping pure tone thresholds
Presbyacusis causes?
- Arteriosclerosis
- DM
- Noise exposure
- Drug exposure = salicylates, chemo
- Stress
- Genetic
Presbyacusis presentation?
Cant hear when old
Presbyacusis signs?
Possible Weber’s test bone conduction localisation to one side if sensorineural hearing loss not completely bilateral
Presbyacusis Ix?
- Otoscopy = normal
- Tympanometry = normal middle ear function with hearing loss
- Audiometry = bilateral sensorineural hearing loss
- Bloods = normal
Labyrinthitis definition?
Inflammatory disorder of the membranous labyrinth, affecting both the vestibular and cochlear end organs. Labyrinthitis can be viral, bacterial or associated with systemic diseases
Most common form of labyrinthitis?
Viral
How to distinguish between viral labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis?
Vestibular neuritis = only vestibular nerve involves, so there is no hearing impairment
Viral labyrinthitis presentation?
Acute onset of:
1. Vertigo
2. N&V
3. Hearing loss
4. Tinnitus
5. Preceding or concurrent URTI
Viral labyrinthitis signs?
- Unidirectional horizontal nystagmus towards unaffected side
- Sensorineural hearing loss
- Abnormal head impulse test: impaired VOR
- Gait disturbance: pt may fall towards the affected side
Viral labyrinthitis Dx?
History and examination
Viral labyrinthitis Rx?
- Usually self limiting
- Prochlorperazine or antihistamines may help reduce the sensation of dizziness
Epistaxis classification?
Anterior and posterior bleeds
Anterior epistaxis from?
Kiesselbach’s plexus
Posterior epistaxis mushkies?
Tend to be more profuse and originate from deeper structures. They occur more frequently in older patients and confer a higher risk of aspiration and airway compromise.
Epistaxis causes?
- Trauma
- Foreign bodies
- Bleeding disorders
- Juvenile angiofibroma
- Cocaine use
- HHT
- GPA
Epistaxis Rx?
- 1st aid
- If 1st aid successful
- Bleeding not stopping
- Haemodynamically unstable
Epistaxis 1st aid?
- Sit with torso forward and mouth open
- Pinch cartilagenous area firmly for 20 mins
If 1st aid successful?
- Naseptin to reduce crusting and risk of vestibulitis (caution if peanut/soy/neoymcin allergy, use mupricon instead)
- Consider admission if comorbidity or < 2 y/o
- Self care advice = blowing or picking the nose, heavy lifting, exercise, lying flat, drinking alcohol or hot drinks should be avoided
If bleeding does not stop after 10-15 mins?
- Cautery = if bleed visible and cautery tolerated, blow nose, topical anaesthetic spray e.g. co-phenylcaine and wait 3-4 mins, apply silver nitrate stick for 3-10 seconds, apply naseptin/mupirocin
- Packing = anaesthetise with co-phenylcaine, pack nose, admit for observation and review
Bleed from unknown posterior source Rx?
Admit to hospital
Epistaxis that has failed all emergency management?
Sphenopalatine ligation
Sinusitis definition?
Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the paranasal sinuses. The sinuses are usually sterile - the most common infectious agents seen in acute sinusitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and rhinoviruses.
Acute sinusitis predisposing factors?
- Nasal obstruction = septal deviation, nasal polyps
- Recent local infection
- Swimming/diving
- Smoking
Acute sinusitis features?
- Facial pain = frontal pressure pain worse on bending forwards
- Nasal discharge = thick and purulent
- Nasal obstruction
Acute sinusitis Rx?
- Analgesia
- Intranasal decongestants
- Sx > 10 days = Intranasal corticosteoids
- Oral abx for severe presentations = Phenoxymethylpenicillin first-line, co-amoxiclav if ‘systemically very unwell, signs and symptoms of a more serious illness, or at high-risk of complications’
Why CXR for hoarseness?
Exclude apical lung lesion
Laryngeal cancer 2ww referral?
45 and over with
1. Persistent unexplained hoarseness
2. Unexplained lump in the neck
Otitis externa causes?
- Infection = S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, fungal
- Seborrhoeic dermatitis
- Contact dermatitis
- Recent swimming
Otitis externa causes?
- Infection = S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, fungal
- Seborrhoeic dermatitis
- Contact dermatitis
- Recent swimming
Otitis externa features?
- Ear pain, itch, discharge
- Otoscopy: red, swollen or eczematous canal
Otitis externa Rx?
- Combined topical Abx + Steroid (Or just topical Abx)
- Consider removal of canal debris
- If extensively swollen canal consider ear wick
- 2nd line = Flucloxacillin if spreading, Empirical use of antifungal, taking swab inside ear canal
Otitis externa fails to respond to topical Abx Rx?
Refer to ENT
Malignant otitis externa more common in?
DM
Malignant otitis externa definition?
Extension of infection into the bony ear canal and the soft tissues deep to the bony canal. Intravenous antibiotics may be required.
BPPV average age of onset?
55 y/o
BPPV features?
- Vertigo triggered by change in head position
- Nausea
- Each episode 10-20 seconds
- Positive Dix-hallpike = experiences vertigo with rotatory nystagmus
BPPV prognosis?
Resolves spontaneously after a few weeks to months
BPPV symptomatic relief?
- Epley manoeuvre (successful in 80%)
- Brandt-Daroff exercises
- Betahistine sometimes given but of limited value
BPPV recurrence?
50% will have recurrence 3-5 years after diagnosis
Rinne’s positive?
Normal = AC > BC
Rinne’s negative?
Conductive deafness = BC > AC
Weber’s interpretation?
- Unilateral sensorineural deafness = sound localised to unaffected side
- Unilateral conductive deafness = sound localised to affected side
Normal hearing Rinne and Weber?
- AC > BC bilaterally
- Weber midline
Conductive hearing loss Rinne and Weber?
- BC > AC in affected ear
- Weber lateralises to affected ear
How to remember conductive hearing loss?
Everything points to the side affected
Sensorineural hearing loss Rinne and Weber?
- AC > BC bilaterally (normal)
- Lateralises to unaffected ear
Nasal polyp epidemiology?
- 1% in UK
- 2-4x more common in men
Nasal polyp associations?
- Asthma
- Aspirin sensitivity
- Infective sinusitis
- CF
- Kartagener’s syndrome
- Churg-Strauss syndrome
Samter’s triad?
- Asthma
- Aspirin Sensitivity
- Nasal polyposis
Nasal polyp features?
- Nasal obstruction
- Rhinorrhoea, sneezing
- Poor sense of taste and smell
Unilateral nasal polyp?
Red flag
Nasal polyp Rx?
- Refer to ENT
- Topical corticosteroids will shrink polyp size in 80%
Otosclerosis mushkies?
- AD, replacement of normal bone by vascular spongy bone. Onset 20-40 y/o
- Features = conductive deafness, tinnitus, tympanic membrane flamingo tinge, positive FHx
Flamingo tinge?
Otosclerosis
Commonest cause of conductive hearing loss in childhood?
Glue ear
Glue ear AKA?
OME
Meniere’s more common in what age group?
Middle aged adults
Noise damage hearing loss mushkies?
Bilateral and typically worse at frequencies 3000-6000 Hz
Acoustic neuroma features?
- Cranial nerve VIII: hearing loss, vertigo, tinnitus
- Cranial nerve V: absent corneal reflex
- Cranial nerve VII: facial palsy
Black hair tongue definition?
Relatively common condition which results from defective desquamation of the filiform papillae. Despite the name the tongue may be brown, green, pink or another colour
Black hairy tongue predisposing factors?
- Poor oral hygiene
- Antibiotics
- Head and neck radiation
- HIV
- IVDU
Black hairy tongue Ix?
Swabbed to exclude candida
Black hair tongue Rx?
- Tongue scraping
- Topical antifungals if Candida
Audiogram interpretation rules?
- Anything above 20dB normal
- In sensorineural hearing loss both air and bone conduction impaired
- In conductive hearing loss only air conduction impaired
- In mixed hearing loss both air and bone conduction are impaired, with air conduction often being ‘worse’ than bone
Malignant otitis externa most common cause?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Malignant otitis externa most common cause?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Malignant otitis externa can progress to?
Temporal bone osteomyelitis
Malignant otitis externa history features?
- DM (90%) or immunosuppression
- Severe, unrelenting, deep-seated otalgia
- Temporal headaches
- Purulent otorrhoea
- Possibly dysphagia, hoarseness and/or facial nerve dysfunction
Malignant otitis externa Dx?
CT scan
Malignant otitis externa Rx?
- Non-resolving otitis externa with worsening pain should be referred urgently to ENT
- IV Abx that cover Pseudomonas e.g. IV Ciprofloxacin
Diabetic pt presenting with non-malignant otitis externa Rx?
Ciprofloxacin
Otosclerosis inheritance?
AD
Otosclerosis definition?
Otosclerosis describes the replacement of normal bone by vascular spongy bone. It causes a progressive conductive deafness due to fixation of the stapes at the oval window.
Otosclerosis features?
- Conductive deafness
- Tinnitus
- Normal tympanic membrane/10% have flamingo tinge caused by hyperaemia
- Positive FHx
Otosclerosis Rx?
- Hearing aid
- Stapedectomy