ENT Flashcards
What is used to test hearing range?
Audiogram (the higher up the better the hearing)
- 20-40 = moderate hearing loss
- 70-90 = severe hearing loss
Function of external ear?
Receives sound
Function of middle ear?
Tympanic memrane : oval window ratio?
Acts as an amplifier
* 18:1 (impedance matching air to liquid)
Closure and opening of eustachian tube?
Function of tube?
Resting state of cartilaginous tube is closed but opened by tensor veli palatini & levator palatine muscles
*pressure equalisation in ears (dysfunction leads to middle ear negative pressure)
Oval and round windows?
Function?
2 openings of cochlea into middle ear
* transmission of pressure wave + vibration of basilar membrane
What causes fluid vibration?
Explain how vibration is picked up by basilar membrane?
Movement of stapes via stapedius (smallest skeletal muscle in the entire body)
- High frequency sound at beginning of membrane
- Low frequency sound towards apex (end of the spiral)
Function of inner ear?
Structure?
What is found in centre?
Receiver/transducer (fluid -> AP)
- Spiral lamina wrapped around central modiolus
- cochlear nerve found inside central modiolus
Explain structure of cochlea
What do these open up into?
Scala media (endolymph) suspended in between scala tympani & scala vestibuli (perilymph)
- Scala vestibuli = oval window
- scala tympani = round window
Ionic composition of periplymph and endolymph?
Perilymph
* Na+
Endolymph
* K+
Explain central pathway of sound perception? (5)
Organ of Corti depolarises and fires
Stimulates VIIIth nerve and then central pathways
E COLI
- Ear ->
- Cochlear nucleus ->
- superior Olivary complex ->
- Lateral lemniscus ->
- Inferior colliculus
Where is primary auditory cortex?
Posterior superior temporal gyrus
When can foetus hear?
18 weeks - foetus can hear
26 weeks - foetus will respond to sound/voice
Universal neonatal screening for hearing loss?
OAEs can be identified in normal cochlea - if absent, suggest a problem
Explain how cochlear implant works
- Inserted into scala tympani
* Will coil around cochlear nerve
Normal development of hearing/vocals? (5)
- 3 months - cooing, recognises mother’s voice
- 6 months - babbling, makes happy and sad sounds, eyes towards sounds
- 12 months - mama/dada, follows instructions
- 12-18 months - syllable deletion/substitution
- 24 months - two word phrases, 50+ words, understands questions and follows commands
Explain balance input/output to central pathway?
Input (4)
- visual
- cardiovascular
- vestibular
- proprioceptive
Output (2)
- vestibulospinal tract
- vestibulo-ocular reflex
Explain the input/output involved in Rombergs test? (standing on foam)
Input = vestibular Output = vestibulospinal
(if fall over = positive rombergs)
vestibular nerve supply to inner ear?
- Superior vestibular nerve = lateral, anterior semi-circular canal, and utricle
- inferior vestibular nerve = poserior semi-circular canal and saccule
Hair cells of inner ear? (2)
Mechanism?
- Kinocilium = longest hair
- stereocilia = the rest
Movement of hair cells towards longest = depolarises (increases firing rate)
If movement away from longest = hyperpolarised (decreases firing rate)
Otolith organs?
Explain structure
Utricle and saccule
* maculae of these organs have stereocilia projecting upwards into gel membrane + otoconia (the gel membrane pulls the hairs in different directions)
What allows the head to perceive position and movement when tilting head or making horizontal movements?
Otolith organs
Also in a lift, it is your otolith organ that allows you to sense whether you’e going up or down even tho you can’t see
how many semi-circular canals are there?
Orientation?
3 on each side of the head
- lateral
- anterior
- posterior
They are paired
* orientated at 90* from each other
What is the ampullary capula?
Function?
Sits in ampulla of semi-circular canal
- it is pushed by perilymph in opposite direction response to movement
- “bending” cause cilia to deflect
- sends signals to vestibular nerve
Vestibulo-occular reflex input and output?
- input: vestibular
- output: vestibulo-ocular reflex
(hold thumb, look at it, turn head)
S/s of dysfunctional vestibulo-ocular reflex as a result of damaged ear?
Nystagmus
* if lose left ear, eyes move left then flick back to right quickly
Oscillopsia?
Ax?
Shaky eye movement
* gentamicin toxcicity (no vestibular input)
What is vestibulospinal tract?
motor output to the neck, back and leg muscles
What comprises the vestibulo-ocular tract?
fasciculus + ocular muscles - motor output to eyes
What are receptors for taste and smell?
Chemoreceptors - stimulated by binding of particular chemicals
Gustation?
Taste
Taste buds made up of?
- sensory receptor cells
- support cells
(arranged like slices of orange)
How are taste receptor cells replaced?
From basal cells
What do taste receptor cells synapse with?
afferent nerve fibres
Where are taste buds found?
- tongue
- palate
- epiglottis
- pharynx
Where do most taste buds sit?
Types? (4)
majority of taste buds sits in papillae in the tongue
- filliform
- fungiform
- vallate
- foliate
Nerve supply to tongue?
- Posterior 1/3rd = glossopharyngeal nerve
* anterior 2/3rds = chorda tympani (CN VII)
Physiology of taste (gustation)?
Nerves involved?
- Binding of tastant to receptor cells causes depolarisation
- APs conveyed by cranial nerves to cortical gustatory areas
Afferent taste fibres reach the brainstem via:
- VIIth cranial nerve (chorda tympani branch of facial nerve) - anterior two-thirds of the tongue
- IXth cranial (glossopharyngeal) nerve - posterior third of the tongue
- Xth caranial (vagus) nerve - areas other than tongue, including e.g. epiglottis and pharynx
What are 5 primary tastes?
- Salty - stimulated by NaCl
- Sour - stimulated by acids with free H+ ions
- Sweet - glucose
- Bitter - alkaloids + poisonous substances
- Umami - triggered by amino acids (esp. glutamate)
Abnormalities of taste? (3)
- Ageusia (loss of taste) = nerve damage, inflammation, endocrine disorders
- Hypogeusia (reduced taste) = chemo, medications
- Dysgeusia (distortion of taste) = gum infection, tooth decay, reflex, URTI, chemo, meds
What does olfactory mucosa contain? (3)
3 cell types
- olfactory receptor cells
- supporting cells
- basal cells (secrete mucus)
Explain structure of olfactory receptor
Each neuron has thick short dendrite and expanded end called olfactory rod (rods attach to cilia)
- odorants (molecules that can be smelled) attach to cilia
- axons of olfactory receptors form olfactory nerve
- pierce cribiform plate and enter olfactory bulbs in brain
- olfactory bulbs send signals to olfactory areas of temporal lobe
What properties must a substance have in order to be smelled? (2)
- volatile
* water soluble
Abnormalities of smell? (3)
- Anosmia (inability to smell) = infections, allergy, nasal polyps
- Hyposmia (reduced ability to smell) = may be early sign of parkinsons
- dysosmia (altered sense of smell) = hallucinations etc
Viral causes of oral ulceration? (2)
- herpes simplex
* Coxsackie
Which type of herpes simplex causes oral lesions?
How is it transmitted?
Type 1 (acquired in childhood) * thru saliva contact
What is primary gingivostomatitis caused by?
Which group of people are affected?
S/s? (3)
HSV1
Pre-school children
s/s
- fever
- lymphadenopathy
- ulcers on lips, buccal mucosa, hard palate
Tx for primary gingivostomatitis?
Aciclovir
Is herpes simplex “curable”?
No
Latent form remains in trigeminal nerve and can reactivate
Tx cold sore?
Aciclovir (DOES NOT PREVENT LATENCY)
Are recurrent intra-oral lesions likely to be HSV?
No, usually only on lips (cold sore)
Herpetic whitlow?
lesion (whitlow) on a finger or thumb caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV1 or 2)
Dx HSV?
Swab of vesicle, then detection of viral DNA by PCR
Significant complication of HSV?
herpes simplex encephalitis (high mortality!)
Herpangina?
Ax?
Dx?
Ulcers on the soft palate
- Ax = coxsackie viruses e.g. enterovirus (not HSV)
- Dx = viral PCR
Hand, foot and mouth disease?
Ax?
Dx?
Blisters on hands, feet and mouth
- Ax = coxsackie virus (enterovirus)
- Dx = PCR for viral DNA
What is ulcer caused by syphillis called?
Is it a virus?
S/s?
Tx?
Chancre
* no, it is caused by bacterium called treponema pallidum
s/s
* painless oral lesions (unlike herpes)
Tx = penicillin :)
apthous ulcers?
Ax?
Tx?
recurring painful ulcers of the mouth that are round and have inflammatory halos
- non-viral (not infectious but INCREDIBLY common)
- Tx = self-limiting
Differentials for recurrent painful ulcers?
- Apthous ulcers
* Herpes simplex
Recurrent ulcers associated with systemic disease?
- Bechet’s disease (oral ulcers, genital ulcers, uveitis - common in Asia)
- Coeliacs or IBD (diarrhoea, weight loss)
- Reiter’s disease (arthritis)
- Skin diseases (lichen planus, pemphigus, pemphigoid)
When should EBV be suspected as a cause of sore throat?
Other possible differentials? (3)
If sore throat and lethargy persist into the second week, especially if the person is 15-25years of age, infectious mononucleosis (EBV) should be suspected
Less common causes
- HIV
- gonococcal pharyngitis
- diptheria
When should you not examine a sore throat?
Sore throat with stridor or respiratory difficulty is an absolute indication for
admission to hospital, and attempts to examine the throat should be avoided
What are most sore throats caused by?
Tx?
Virus
self-limiting
Most common bacterial cause of sore throat?
What condition does it cause?
Tx?
Strep pyogenes (GAS)
- acute follicular tonsilitis
- Tx = phenoxymethylpenicillin
Strep pyogenes complications? (2)
- Rheumatic fever - fever, arthritis, pancreatitis
* Glomerulonephritis - haematuria, albuminuria, oedema
What can cause neutropenia?
Drugs like carbimazole, chemo
Tx group A strep?
What about if severe?
What is classed as severe?
Penicillin
- phenoxymethylpenicillin
- severe = Fever PAIN 4 or 5, CENTOR 3 or 4
What is diptheria caused by?
S/s? (3)
Tx?
Corneobacterium diptherae S/s * pseudomembrane * severe sore throat * produces exotoxin which is cardiotoxic and neurotixic
Tx = antitoxin + supportive (if doesn’t work, penicillin/erythromycin)
S/s infectious mononucleosis? (6)
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Sore throat
- Pharyngitis
- Tonsilitis
- Malsaise
- lethargy
Complications of EBV? (4)
- anaemia, thrombocytopenia
- splenic rupture
- upper airway obstruction
- increased risk of lymphoma
Tx EBV? (4)
- Bed rest
- paracetamol
- antivirals NOT effective
- steroids MAKE WORSE
Dx EBV? (4)
- EBV IgM
- Heterophile antibody (paul-bunnell test, monospot test)
- blood count
- LFT (EBV can result in jaundice)
Differential diagnosis of EBV?
- cytomegalovirus
- toxoplasmosis
- primary HIV
common s/s: malaise, sore throay, leucocytosis