ENT Passmedicine Flashcards
What is otosclerosis?
Replacement of normal bone by vascular spongy bone
What kind of deafness does otosclerosis cause?
Progressive conductive deafness
Why do you get deafness in otosclerosis?
The stapes becomes fixed at the oval window
How is otosclerosis inherited?
Autosomal dominantly
When is the typical onset of otosclerosis?
20-40y
What are the clinical features of otosclerosis?
Conductive deafness
Tinnitus
Normal tympanic membrane (10% have flamingo tinge caused by hyperaemia)
+ve FH
How do you manage otosclerosis?
Hearing aid
Stapedectomy
What is Meniere’s disease?
Disorder of the inner ear of unknown cause
What is Meniere’s characterised by?
Excessive pressure and progressive dilation of the endolymphatic system
In which age group is Meniere’s most common?
Middle aged
What are the features of Meniere’s?
Recurrent episodes of vertigo, tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss
Sensation of aural fullness/pressure
Nystagmus
Positive Romberg test
How long do the symptoms last in episodes of Meniere’s?
minutes to hours
Are symptoms of Meniere’s typically bilateral or unilateral?
Unilateral usually
What is the natural history of Meniere’s?
Symptoms tend to resolve after 5-10 years
Majority are left with hearing loss
What is involved in the management of Meniere’s?
ENT assessment req. for diagnosis
Inform DVLA (cease driving until adequate control of sx)
Rx of acute attacks and prevention
How do you treat acute attacks in Meniere’s?
Buccal/IM prochlorperazine
How do you prevent attacks in Meniere’s?
Betahistine and vestibular rehabilitation exercises
What drugs can cause gingival hyperplasia?
Phenytoin
Ciclosporin
CCB, esp nifedipine
What conditions can cause gingival hyperplasia?
AML
What are complications of tonsillitis?
Otitis media
Quinsy/peritonsillar abscess
Rheumatic fever + GN very rarely
When do NICE recommend tonsillectomy should be considered?
If they meet all of the following:
- Sore throats are due to tonsillitis
- Person has 5+ episodes pa
- Symptoms been occurring for at least 1 year
- Episodes of sore throat are disabling + prevent normal functioning
What are some established indications for a tonsillectomy?
Recurrent febrile convulsions 2ndary to tonsillitis
Obstructive sleep apnoea/stridor/dysphagia due to enlarged tonsils
Quinsy unresponsive to standard Rx
What are the primary complications of tonsillectomy?
Occur within 24h:
- Haemorrhage
- Pain
What are the secondary complications of tonsillitis?
Occur after 24h:
- Haemorrhage (mostly due to infection)
- Pain
Define vertigo
False sensation that the body/environment is moving
List 10 causes of vertigo
Meniere's disease BPPV Acoustic neuroma Viral labyrinthitis Vestibular neuronitis Vertebrobasilar ischaemia Posterior circulation stroke Trauma Otoxoticity MS
What are the things that should stand out in a history that point towards a diagnosis of viral labyrinthitis?
Recent viral infection
Sudden onset
NV
Hearing affected
What are the things that should stand out in a history that point towards a diagnosis of vestibular neuronitis?
Recent viral infection
Recurrent vertigo attacks lasting hours/days
No hearing loss
What are the things that should stand out in a history that point towards a diagnosis of BPPV?
Gradual onset
Triggered by change in head position
Episodes last 10-20s
What are the things that should stand out in a history that point towards a diagnosis of Meniere’s?
Hearing loss
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Sensation of fullness/pressure in one/both ears
What are the things that should stand out in a history that point towards a diagnosis of vertebrobasilar ischaemia?
Elderly patient
Dizziness on extension of neck
What are the things that should stand out in a history that point towards a diagnosis of acoustic neuroma?
Gradual progressive unilateral deafness Vertigo Tinnitus Absent corneal reflex is important sign Facial nerve palsy
With which condition is acoustic neuroma associated?
NF2
What is Ramsay-Hunt syndrome?
Reactivation of the varicella zoster virus in the geniculate ganglion of the 7th cranial nerve
What are the features of Ramsay-Hunt syndrome?
Auricular pain Facial nerve palsy Vesicular rash around hear Vertigo Tinnitus May also get vesicular lesions on anterior 2/3rd of tongue and soft palate
How do you manage Ramsay-Hunt syndrome?
Oral acyclovir
Corticosteroids
What infection is tonsillar SCC associated with?
HPV 16
What are risk factors for tonsillar SCC?
Smoking
High alcohol intake
Poor oral hygiene
Head and neck cancer encompasses what cancers?
Oral cavity cancers
Cancers of the pharynx (oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx)
Cancers of larynx
What are possible features of a head and neck cancer?
Neck lump
Hoarseness
Persistent sore throat
Persistent mouth ulcer
How quickly do you get an appointment with the suspected cancer pathway referral?
Within 2 weeks
What is the suspected laryngeal cancer pathway referral criteria?
Age 45y+ with:
Persistent unexplained hoarseness or unexplained lump in neck
What is the suspected oral cancer pathway referral criteria?
Unexplained ulceration in the oral cavity >3weeks or persistent or unexplained neck lump
When should you consider urgent referral (2w) for assessment of possible oral cancer by a dentist?
Those with either:
Lump on lip/oral cavity
Red/red-white patches in the oral cavity consistent with erythroplakia/erythroleukoplakia
What is the suspected thyroid cancer pathway referral criteria?
Unexplained thyroid lump
How do you investigate an acoustic neuroma?
MRI
What resources can you use to help you decide whether or not to give antibiotics for a sore throat?
FEVERpain
Centor
These predict whether the sore throat is likely to be bacterial and would benefit from antibiotics
What are the centor criteria?
Tonsillar exudate
Absence of cough
Hx of fever
Cervical lymphadenopathy/lympadenitis
What centor score should you give antibiotics for?
3 or 4
What does a centor 3/4 sore equate to % chance of having a strep throat infection?
40-60%
What does a centor 0/1/2 sore equate to % chance of having a strep throat infection?
80% chance of not having a bacterial throat infection
How should you manage a sore throat?
Paracetamol/ibruprofen
Antibiotics if indicated
When are antibiotics indicated for sore throat?
Centor 3/4 Marked systemic upset Unilateral peritonsillitis Hx rheumatic fever Increased risk from acute infection, e.g. someone with DM/immunodef
What are the FEVERpain criteria?
Fever >38 Pharyngeal/tonsillar exudate Attends rapidly (3 days or less) Severely inflamed tonsils No cough/coryza
What antibiotics should be given for tonsillitis?
Phenoxymethylpenicillin or erythromycin if penicillin allergic for 7-10d
What tends to be the first line investigation for those presenting with hearing difficulties?
Audiograms
How do you interpret an audiogram?
Anything above 20b is normal
Sensorineural deafness - air + bone conduction impaired
Conductive deafness - only air conduction impaired
Mixed hearing loss - air and bone conduction impaired, air worse than bone
What are the causes for otitis externa?
Infection (staph, aureus, pseudomonas, fungi)
Seborrheic dermatitis
Contact dermatitis
What are the features of otitis externa?
Ear pain Itch Discharge Pain on palpation of tragus Conductive hearing loss
What are the otoscopy findings in otitis externa?
Red, swollen, eczematous canal
What do you manage otitis externa in the first instance?
Topical antibiotic and steroid ear drop
Consider removal of ear canal debris
If ear canal is swollen consider ear wick insertion
What are second line management options for otitis externa?
Flucloxacillin (oral) if infection spreading
Swab ear canal
Empirical use of an antifungal
IF PATIENT FAILS TO RESPOND TO TOPICAL ANTIBIOTICS SHOULD BE REFERRED TO ENT
In which groups is malignant otitis externa most common?
Elderly
DM
What happens in malignant otitis externa?
Infection extends into bony ear canal and soft tissues deep to the bony canal
When should you prescribe antibiotics for otitis media?
Symptoms >4 days + not improving
Systemically unwell
Immunocomprised/high risk of complications due to significant heart, lung, kidney, liver or neuromuscular disease
Age <2 with bilateral otitis media
Otitis media w. perforation +/or discharge in the canal
What antibiotic is given for otitis media?
Amoxicillin 5 days
Penicillin allergy: erythromycin/clarithromycin
What is the commonest cause of bacterial otitis media?
H. influenzae
What other organism can cause otitis media?
Strep pneumoniae
Moraxella catarrhalis
What is Ludwig’s angina?
Cellulitis on the floor of the mouth
Deadly as it spreads in the fascial spaces of the head and neck
Swelling pushes on floor of mouth upwards and can block airway
What are risk factors for Ludwig’s angina?
Immunocompromise
Poor denition
Pericoronitis
What is pericoronitis?
Inflammation around a partially erupted wisdowm tooth
What are the three salivary glands called?
Parotid
Submandibular
Sublingual
What kind of secretions come from the parotid glands?
Serous
What kind of secretions come from the submandibular glands?
Mixed
What kind of secretions come from the sublingual glands?
Mucous
In which salivary gland do most tumours arise?
Parotid
Which salivary glands are most commonly blocked by stones?
Submandibular
What are the most common parotid tumours?
Pleomorphic adenomas
What is the typical hx of a pleomorphic adenoma?
Middle aged
Slow growing, painless lump
How do you manage a pleomorphic adenoma?
Superficial parotidectomy
What is the major risk of a superficial parotidectomy?
CNVII damage
What is the second most common parotid tumour?
Warthin’s tumour
What is the typical hx of a Warthin’s tumour?
Male, middle aged
Soft, mobile and fluctuant mass
What is a typical hx of a stone lodging in the salivary gland ducts?
Recurrent unilateral pain and swelling on eating
If becomes infected may –> Ludwig’s angina
How do you investigated a suspected stone in the salivary glands ducts?
Plain xray
Sialography
How are blocked salivary ducts managed?
Surgery
What things apart from tumours and stones can cause salivary gland enlargement?
Acute viral infections, e.g. mumps
Acute bacterial infection
Sicca syndrome
Sjogrens
What are the two types of epistaxis?
Anterior bleed - visible source of bleeding
Posterior bleed - tends to be more profuse, due to damage of deeper structures
Where do anterior bleeds tend to be from?
Kiesselbach’s plexus (little’s area - where 4 arteries come together)
What is the most common cause of epistaxis?
Trauma to nose (insertion of FB, nose picking, nose blowing)
What might recurrent epistaxis indicate?
Platelet disorders (e.g. thrombocytopenia, splenomegaly, leukaemia, ITP)
Juvenile angiofibroma (benign highly vascularised tumour)
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Pyogenic granuloma
In epistaxis, what may an atrophied nasal septum indicate?
Cocaine use - cocaine is a powerful vasoconstrictor and may lead to obliteration of the septum
How do you manage epistaxis?
Lean forward, mouth open
Pinch cartilaginous area of nose for 15m and breath through mouth
If this is successful use antiseptic e.g. Naseptin to reduce crusting and risk of vestibulitis
If bleeding doesn’t stop within 10-15m of continuous pressure on the nose, what management should be considered?
Cautery (source of bleeding isolated)
Packing and admit to secondary care
What is Naseptin a combination of?
Chlorhexidine and neomycin
What are CI to naseptin?
Peanut, soy or neomycin allergies
Can cause mupirocin as alternative
What patients might you consider follow up care even if bleeding is halted by pressure?
Co-morbidity (e.g. severe HTN, CAD)
Underlying cause suspected
<2y (more at risk of haemophilia, leukaemia)
Describe how to carry out cautery
Blow nose to remove clots
Use topical anaesthetic spray + wait 3-4m to take effect
Identify bleeding point + apply silver nitrate stick until it becomes grey-white
ONLY cauterise 1 side of septum due to risk of perforation
Dab area with naseptin/muciprocin
Describe the process of packing for epistaxis
Use topical LA + wait 3-4m
Pack nose while patient sits forward
Ex nose/mouth for continued bleeding
Admit to hospital for review by ENT
Which patients should be immediately referred into ED with epistaxis?
Haemodynamically unstable or compromised
Bleeding from unknown posterior source
What self-care advice should be given re. the risk of another bleed?
Avoid blowing/picking nose, heavy lifting, exercise, lying flat, drinking alcohol or hot drinks
What sore symptoms do you get in infectious mononucleosis?
Pharyngitis and tonsillitis
Why should you not give penicillin in glandular fever?
Will cause a reash
What may indicate quinsy in a sore throat?
Unilateral swelling and fever
What pathogen causes >50% of sore throats?
Streptococcus pyogenes
What is the appearance of the tonsils in bacterial tonsillitis?
Oedematous, yellow or white pustules