ENT Flashcards
Risk factors for otitis externa
Mechanical injury to the skin - cleaning, foreign objects (hearing aids, earplugs), itching Increased moisture - swimming Skin disease DM Prolonged use of topical antibiotics
Clinical features of otitis externa
Otalgia - particularly at night Otorrhea Tender tragus Moving auricle causes pain Conductive hearing loss Diffuse oedema and erythema Purulent debris Peri-auricular lymphadenopathy
Possible complications of acute otitis externa
Perichondritis (infection of the cartilage)
Cellulitis
Malignant otitis externa
Otomycosis (fungal ear infection usually following use of topical abx)
Late: canal stenosis, hearing loss
What is malignant/necrotising otitis externa
When otitis externa spreads and causes osteomyelitis of the temporal bone
Causative organisms of otitis externa
Staph aureus
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (swimming, abx drop resistance)
Aspergillus niger - itching > otorrhea, looks like cotton wool speckled with black dots
Herpes zoster
Influenza viruses
Management of otitis externa
Keep ear dry
Oral analgesia
Topical drops - antibiotic + steroid: Sofradex, Gentisone, Otomise
What features would make you think of perichondritis rather than otitis externa
Symptoms worsening or not responding to treatment
Pyrexial
Tachycardic
Hearing loss
Features of malignant otitis externa
Severe pain Granulation tissue - at junction of cartilage and bony part of ear canal Red/swollen periauricular tissue Otorrhea Conductive hearing loss
Possible complications of malignant otitis externa
Facial nerve palsy
Osetomyelitis of skull base which in turn can cause extradural abscess, venous sinus thrombosis, paralysis of other cranial nerves
Who gets malignant otitis externa
The immunocompromised
Management of malignant otitis externa
Continue with topical antibiotics PLUS 6 weeks of IV antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin) CT head to identify bone destruction MRI to identify intracranial extension
Most common causative organism of acute otitis media
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Presentation of acute otitis media
Acute onset of earpain, usually with a throbbing character Fever Loss of appetite Bulging TM Red TM Purulent discharge if ruptured TM Conductive hearing loss
Risk factors for acute otitis media
Bottle/formula feeding Pacifier use Passive cigarette smoking Day care Poor socioeconomic status
What is the definition of recurrent acute otitis media
More than 4 episodes in a 6 month period
How does otitis media happen
Eustachian tube dysfunction –> negative middle ear pressure –> retracted TM
Accumulation of middle ear secretions –> bacterial superinfection –> bulging TM
Predisposing factors for eustachian tube obstruction
ET mucosal inflammation - viral URTI, allergic rhinitis
Enlarged adenoids
Nasal polyps
Cleft palae
Young - the ET of infants is short, wide and horizontal so nasopharyngeal secretions easily reflux into the ET and so infants are more prone to developing acute otitis media
Management of acute otitis media
Paracetamol and ibuprophen
Antibiotics if: bilateral/lasted over 2 days/systemic illness
Antibiotic of choice in acute otitis media
Amoxicillin
What is chronic otitis media
Inflammation of the middle ear for >3 months
Most common causative organisms of chronic otitis media
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Staph aureus
What is chronic suppurative otitis media
Persistent drainage from the middle ear through a perforated tympanic membrane lasting >6-12 weeks
How does chronic suppurative otitis media present
Painless recurrent otorrhea that is odourless and mucoid/serous
Conductive hearing loss
May develop concurrent cholesteatoma
Management of chronic suppurative otitis media
Topical antibiotics and steroids
Consider tympanoplasty or graft insertion
What is otitis media with effusion (glue ear)
Chronic mucoid or serous effusion in the middle ear, in the absence of infection, lasting for >3 months
What is thought to cause otitis media with effusion
Eustachian tube dysfunction
Otoscopy findings of otitis media with effusion
Opaque/yellow TM
Air-fluid level behind TM
Management of otitis media with effusion
Tympanostomy tubes
Possible complications of chronic otitis media a) intra-temporal, b) extra-temporal
Intra-temporal complications of COM = vertigo (inflammation spreads to labyrinth + vestibular system), hearing loss (conductive due to ossicle/membrane damage, sensorineural due to cochlear inflammation), acute otitis externa (due to discharge irritating skin), facial weakness (erosion of middle ear bony canal exposes facial nerve, gets inflamed)
Extra-temporal complications = meningitis/subdural abscess/temporal lobe abscess (erodes through tegmen and expose dura), sigmoid sinus thrombosis (direct infective process or retrograde venous spread)
Possible complications of inner ear surgery
Infection
Bleeding
No improvement in hearing
Complete loss of hearing if inner ear damaged
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Facial nerve injury
Altered taste - chorda tympani nerve damange
Recurrence of disease and need for further surgery
What is cholesteatoma
A form of chronic otitis media in which keratinizing squamous epithelium grows from the tympanic membrane or the auditory canal into the middle ear mucosa. Deep retraction of the tympanic membrane, keratin accumulation (originates from skin cells that line the outer surface of the normal tympanic membrane – usually migrate out of ear canal with wax but if there is a deep retraction the keratin cant escape the pocket and develops into a keratin cyst
Potential complications of cholesteatoma
Middle ear invasion and ossicle erosion
Erosion of temporal bone –> extradural abscess, meningitis, sigmoid sinus thrombosis
Facial nerve paralysis
Clinical features of cholesteatoma
May be asymptomatic
Painless otorrhea
Scant, foul smelling discharge
Conductive hearing loss
Primary vs secondary causes of acquired cholesteatoma
Primary acquired - eutsachian tube dysfunction and formation of a retraction pocket
Secondary acquired - epithelium migrates inwards through a perforated tympanic membrane
Appearance of primary acquired cholesteatoma Vs appearance of congenital and secondary acquired cholesteatoma
Primary acquired: retraction pocket with squamous epithelium and debris that often appears as a brownish, irregular mass.
Congenital and secondary acquired: white or pearly mass behind the tympanic membrane
Imaging options for cholesteatomy
XR mastoid process
CT temporal bone
MRI is suspected intracranial extension
What is the definitive treatment of cholesteatoma
Mastoidectomy - open mastoid air cells, remove cholesteatoma from middle ear, reconstruct ossicles and tympanic membrane
What is a glomus jugulare
A vascular tumour in the middle ear. Usually benign but can be locally destructive
Symptoms of glomus jugulare
Hearing loss
Pulsatile tinnitus
Vertigo
Otorrhoea
Management of perichondritis
Gentle microsuction
Insert an aural wick
Continue topical drops
If systemically unwell then admit for IV antibiotics
Why are oral antibiotics not really used for treating perichondritis
The cartilage has a relatively poor blood supply