ENT Flashcards
Define acute otitis media
Inflammation of middle ear mucosa
Epidemiology of acute otitis media
Common condition especially in children
High morbidity, low mortality
30% <3yrs visit GP with acute otitis media/year
Peak incidence 3-11 months
By age 3, 50-85% of children have had AOM
Incidence decreases by age 7
Aetiology of acute otitis media
Most commonly viral, but can be bacterial or both
Commonly an initial viral infection, complicated by a secondary bacterial infection
Most common bacterial causes of acute otitis media
Strep pneumoniae - 40%
Haemophilus influenzae - 30%
Moraxella catarrhalis - 10%
Risk factors for acute otitis media
Male Daycare Winter Genetics (Down's, cleft palate) Smoking Not being breast fed
Symptoms of acute otitis media
Otalgia (pain) Otorrhoea (discharge if TN perforation) Headache Fever Irritability Loss of appetite D&V Reduced hearing in affected ear Relief on ear tugging
Investigations for acute otitis media
Otoscopy (TM bulging, erythematous, may be perforated)
Examine entire head and neck region
Complications of acute otitis media
Otitis media with effusion Hearing loss (sensorineural, usually temporary) Acute mastoiditis (inflammation of mastoid air cells) Perforated ear drum Facial nerve palsy Subperiosteal abscess Labyrinthitis - dead ear Meningitis Cerebral abscess Sigmoid/lateral sinus thrombosis Recurrent attacks
Treatment of acute otitis media
Most cases improve spontaneously - analgesia, antipyretic
Conservative for 3 days, treat if persistent (>4 days): Otorrhoea TM perforation <2yrs and bilateral Mastoiditis Systemically unwell Antibiotics (amoxicillin/clarithromycin) \+/- myringotomy (surgical incision into eardrum)
Pathophysiology of acute suppurative otitis media
Viral induced middle ear effusions secondary to eustacian tube dysfunction
Epidemiology of acute suppurative otitis media
Most common in children, rare in adults
Signs and symptoms of acute suppurative otitis media
Severe pain
Sometimes fever
+/- discharge (TM rupture)
Management of acute suppurative otitis media
Amoxicillin
Define chronic otitis media
Recurrent otitis media with effusion
Not infective
Chronic inflammation with accumulation of fluid in the middle ear and no sign of infection due to eustachian tube dysfunction
Signs and symptoms of chronic otitis media
Asymptomatic Hearing loss (conductive deafness) Tinnitus Vertigo Otalgia Recurrent infection Impaired development in speech and language Fullness in ears (adults) Commonest cause of acquired hearing loss in children, rare in adults
Investigations for chronic otitis media
Conductive hearing loss
Flat tympanogram
Suspect nasopharyngeal cancer if unilateral OM with effusion in adults
Management of chronic otitis media
Grommets
Hearing aid
Chronic supparative otitis media
Chronic inflammation of middle ear and mastoid cavity
Signs and symptoms of chronic supparative otitis media
Painless otorrhoea (>2 weeks) Conductive hearing loss of variable severity Perforated TM (pars flaccida) Granulation tissue
Management of chronic supparative otitis media
Aural toilet
Topical antibiotics
Possible surgery - myringoplasty or tympanoplasty
Define cholesteatoma
Expanding destructive growth of keratinising squamous epithelium in middle ear cleft
Causes of cholesteatoma
Congenital or acquired
Retraction of TM commonest cause
Ear trauma
Recurrent OM infection