ENT - Throat Flashcards
Define tonsillitis
Inflammation due to infection of the tonsils
Give the 4 main clinical featured of tonsillitis
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Pyrexia
- Lymph node swelling
What makes up the Centor Criteria?
- Fever
- Tonsillar exudate
- Absence of a cough
- Tender anterior lymphadenopathy
What does a score of 3 or 4 on the Centor Criteria mean?
Likely to be bacterial infection (Group A Strep) - can consider antibiotics
What investigations should NOT be done with any form of throat swelling?
Throat swabs
Rapid antigen tests
When should blood tests only be considered in tonsillitis?
In immunodeficiency
Management of acute tonsillitis?
Paracetamol & ibuprofen (symptomatic relief)
Antibiotics only if: 3/4 Centor Criteria, marked systemic upset, immunodeficiency, history of rheumatic fever
What is the most common complication of acute tonsillitis?
Recurrent tonsillitis
Give 3 other complications of acute tonsillitis
- Retropharyngeal abscess
- Peritonsillar abscess
- Lemierre’s syndrome
Retropharyngeal vs peritonsillar abscess?
Retropharyngeal - develops behind the pharynx (a tissue at back of throat)
Peritonsillar - develops around the tonsils (particularly palatine)
What is another name for a peritonsillar abscess?
Quinsy
Retropharyngeal abscesses are more common in young children. How do they commonly present?
Stiff and extended neck
Failure to eat or drink
Fever
Presentation of quinsy?
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Difficulty eating (dysphagia)
- Peritonsillar bulge
- Uvular deviation
- Trismus
- Muffled voice
What is the most common organism causing acute tonsillitis?
- Strep. pyogenes (Group A Strep) is most common causative organism (especially in recurrent tonsillitis)
- EBV (less common)
1st line Abx in tonsillitis (if indicated)?
- Penicillin V 500mg
- Alternative in penicillin allergy: clarithromycin/erythromycin
Indications for Abx in tonisillitis?
- Marked systemic upset
- 3 or more centor criteria
- Immunodeficiency
- History of rheumatic fever
What is Lemierre’s syndrome?
Lemierre’s syndrome is a condition characterised by thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and bacteraemia following a recent oropharyngeal infection
Danger of Lemierre’s syndrome?
Septic emboli !
Pharmacological management of Lemierre’s syndrome?
- High dose benzylpenicillin
- Debridement
1st line Abx in Lemierre’s syndrome?
High dose benzylpenicillin
What is the most common head and neck cancer?
Squamous cell carcinomas arising from the squamous cells of the mucosa.
Potential locations of head and neck cancer?
- Nasal cavity
- Paranasal sinuses
- Mouth
- Salivary glands
- Pharynx (throat)
- Larynx (epiglottitis, supraglottis, vocal cords, glottis and subglottis)
Where do head and neck cancers usually spread to first?
Lymph nodes
What is cancer of unknown primary in regard to head and neck cancer?
Squamous cell carcinoma cells may be found in enlarged, abnormal lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), and the original tumour cannot be found. This is called cancer of unknown primary.
Risk factors for head and neck cancer?
- Smoking
- Chewing tobacco
- Chewing betel quid (a habit in south-east Asia)
- Alcohol
- Viral infections:
- HPV (particularly strain 16)
- EBV infection
- Immunosuppression
- Occupational exposure – acid mists, asbestos, wood dust
- Chemical exposure – UV and ionizing radiation e.g. CT scans
- FH
Which viral infections are risk factors for head and neck cancer?
- HPV (particularly strain 16)
- EBV
RED FLAGS for head and neck cancer?
- Hoarseness of voice (unexplained)
- Throat pain
- Lump in the mouth or on the lip
- Unexplained ulceration in the mouth lasting >3 weeks
- Persistent, painless neck lump - can lead to stridor
- Unexplained thyroid lump
- Weight loss
- Lymphadenopathy
- Hormonal disturbance if tumours are endocrine in origin
- Erythroplakia or erythroleukoplakia
What is erythroplakia of the mouth?
A red area that is either flat or raised. If it’s scraped, erythroplakia tends to bleed easily.
What is erythroleukoplakia?
An abnormal patch of red and white tissue that forms on mucous membranes in the mouth and may become cancer.
Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that can be used in the target treatment of head and neck cancers. How does it work?
targets epidermal growth factor receptor, blocking activation of this receptor and inhibiting the growth and metastasis of the tumour
Tumours of the salivary gland most commonly affect which gland?
Parotid gland (80%)
Are the majority of salivary tumours benign or malignant?
Benign (80%)
What is the most common type of benign salivary tumour?
Pleomorphic adenoma (aka mixed tumour) – 80%
Give some other types of benign salivary tumours
- Pleomorphic adenoma (aka mixed tumour) – 80%
- Mucoepidermoid carcinoma – 8%
- Warthin’s tumour – 7%
Most common presenting feature of malignant salivary tumours?
These will typically present with invasion of other structures leading to focal neurology, particularly invasion of the facial nerve leading to V_II nerve palsy_.