General Flashcards
does the inner ear feel pain?
no
if otalgia is coming from middle or outer ear, the drum looks dodge. if the drum is normal, it’s likely
referred pain
name 2 otological causes of otalgia
acute otitis media
otitis externa
furuncule
necrotising otitis media
name 3 referred causes of otalgia
dental pathology
TMJ dusfunction
OA of cervical spine
throat infection
oropharyngeal malig
what is most common organism causing otitis externa
pseudomonas
two signs of otitis externa on examination
debris (white/cheesy); oedema of canal
what condition is assoc w otitis externa?
eczema
treatment for otitis externa?
microsuction
gentamicin ear drops
+/- steroid
fungal otitis externa treatment?
clotrimazole 14ds
what can be used to prevent recurrent otitis externa
acetic acid ear spray (bad env for pseudomonas)
staph abscess on a hair follicle = what?
furuncule
what is treatment for furuncle?
oral fluclox
maybe incision and drainage
what is furuncule?
staph abscess on hair follicle
exquisitely tender
osteomyelitis of skull base extending into ear canal = what?
necrotising otitis externa
necrotising otitis externa = what?
osteomyelitis of skull base extending into ear canal
an elderly diabetic w white debris in ear canal, oedematous. TERRIBLY painful and unremitting, unresponive to topical gentamicin drops. diagnosis?
necrotising otitis externa
needs debridement in hosp and long course of IV Abx
name some common viral causes of otitis media
RSV, rhinovirus, parainfluenza
name some bac causes of otitis media
strep pneum, h.flu, moraxella
red bulging ear drum on examination makes you think
otitis media
name two complications of acute otitis media
mastoiditis
chronic suppurative otitis media (drum perforates permanent)
meningitis, brain abscess, labrynthitis
management of acute otitis media
self limiting within 72hrs
when to give Abx in acute otitis media? which Abx?
systemically unwell or worsening after 72hrs
amoxicillin 5ds
presentation of acute otitis media
children
cold/coryza / fever /cough –> deafness, earache, tugging
pain then discharges relieves
what is most common form of epistaxis?
anterior haemorrhage (95%)
most common area for nosebleeds?
little’s area (anastamosis of vessels in nasal septum)
are anterior or posterior nosebleeds worse?
posterior - elderly, riskier for airway compromise
name some causes of epistaxis
trauma (xs nose blowing, foreign bod insertion) drugs - cocaine, anticoags coagulopathy malig wegener's
htn = rf
what kind of malignancy causes epistaxis
juvenile angiofibroma
bleeding from one nostril = what kind of haemorrhage
anterior haemorrhage
bleeding from both nostrils and throat?
posterior haemorrhage
what symptoms should you ask about in young males w epistaxis to rule out juvenile angiofibroma?
headache?
rhinorrhoea?
anosmia?
tell me some history questions for nosebleed
time of onset estimated blood loss triggers facial pain /otalgia headache/rhinorrhoea/anosmia
drug hx - coke, anticoags, aspirin
fhx - hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
what symptoms should you ask about to establish risk of nasopharyngeal tumour in epistaxis?
facial pain / otalgia
tell me about what examination you do in epistaxis
A-E!!
esp airway and circulation
anterior rhinoscopy w headlight + suction
inspect in mouth too
most normal nosebleeds dont need blood tests, but in severe epistaxis what bloods do u take?
FBC, clotting, G&S/crossmatch
if haemodynamically unstable in epistaxis when you do A-E?
fluids
transfusion if nec
tell me how to do first aid for nosebleeds!
digital pressure on nostrils
ice on forehead/bridge
keep head forward
why digital pressure on nostrils not bridge in nosebleeds
that’s little’s area
if first aid doesnt work, what next for nosebleed
cautery w silver nitrate
if first aid and cautery don’t work, what next for nosebleed?
nasal packing
what nasal packing to use for anterior haemorrhage?
rapid rhino
what nasal packing to use for posterior haemorrhage ?
foley catheter
if first aid and cautery and nasal packing dont work, what next?
theatre (ligation of artery)
what cream helps prevent further bleeding after nosebleeds?
Naseptin
what is vertigo?
sensation that surroundings are spinning
often w nausea + loss of balance
what is the labyrinth?
bony inner ear
semicircular canals + vestibule (utricle/saccule) + cochlea
name some central causes of vertigo
MIGRAINE ; EPILEPSY ; ACOUSTIC NEUROMA ; HEAD INJURY ; ALCOHOL INTOX
name some central causes of vertigo
VESTIBULAR NEURITIS ; VIRAL LABYRINTHITIS ; BPPV ; MENIERE’S ; RAMSAY HUNT ; VESTIBULAR MIGRAINE ; OTOTOXIC DRUGS
name 2 ototoxic drugs
furosemide
gentamicin
what is ramsay hunt syndrome?
herpes zoster in facial nerve
how does romberg’s test help in assessing vertigo?
shows proprioception - vestibular function
what is the Unterbergers test?
march on spot with eyes closed, if turn on spot then vestibular pathology
theres also Head Impulse Test for vestibular dysfunction
if balance problems long term with vertigo, what can be offered?
vestibular rehab!
vertigo is v sudden onset and not positional. management?
urgent referral to ENT
vertigo is causing such severe vomiting that can’t tolerate fluids. management?
admit
vertigo assoc w central neuro symps inc new headache. management?
neuro referral
vertigo in the GP with undetermined cause, pt stable. management?
refer to ENT / neuro, non urgent.
describe symptomatic treatment of vertigo - 3 drugs that sound rather similar
prochlorperazine
cyclizine
promethazine
what is vestibular neuritis?
inflammation of the vestibular nerve
infl of vestibular nerve = what?
vestibular neuritis
what causes vestibular neuritis?
reactivation of latent HSV1 in vestibular nerve
often preceded by URTI
what is labyrinthitis ?
inflammation of vestibular nerve plus labyrinth involvement (urticle, saccule, cochlea, semicircs) so may have hearing loss and tinnitus as well as vertigo
is most labyrinthitis viral?
yes
preceded by URTI
spontaneous sudden severe incapacitating vertigo not exacerbated by movement with hearing loss and tinnitus in someone who’s just had a cold
labyrinthitis
lie still in a dark room with your eyes closed and wait for it to pass when youve got
labyrinthitis
how long does labyrinthitis usually take to resolve itself?
days-wks
what can u give for symptomatic relief of vertigo in labyrinthitis?
prochloperazine / promethazine
too much endolymph in labyrinth aka endolymphatic hydrops aka…
meniere’s disease
what is meniere’s disease
too much endolymph. endolymphatic hydrops
what are the symptoms of meniere’s disease?
vertigo attacks 2-3hrs long (every few months)
tinnitus, hearing loss, sensation of aural fullness
joan is having attacks of vertigo every few months. they last about 2-3hrs and are assoc w tinnitus, hearing loss and aural fullness. diagnosis?
meniere’s disease
refer to ENT to confirm diagnosis
what will be seen on audiometry with meniere’s disease?
sensorineural hearing loss
what drug can be given as preventative for meniere’s disease?
betahistine
what is the pathophysiology of Benign Paroxymal Positional Vertigo?
otoliths detach from utricle and rattle in semicircular canals
mostly posterior semicircs bc anatomy :)
otoliths detach from utricle and rattle in semicircular canals. what’s this?
BPPV
rugby players and elderly women stereotypically get which ENT condish
BPPV
name some symptoms of BPPV
vertigo attacks lasting 20-30 seconds better if head still rolling over in bed no hearing loss no tinniturs
do you get hearing loss and tinnitus in BPPV?
no
do you get hearing loss and tinnitus in meniere’s disease?
yes
do you get hearing loss and tinnitus in labyrinthitis?
yes
describe the dix-hallpike test
hoosh down onto couch + look for upbeating nystagmus+ pt experiences vertigo
you do the dix-hallpike test on a pt you suspect might have BPPV. you see downbeating nystagmus. management?
refer rapidly. its a red flag
a pt thinks they have BPPV but then they tell you they only have unilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. management
refer rapidly. unilateral is a red flag
name some red flags that mean its something more worrying than BPPV
downbeating nystagmus
new onset headache
focal neuro/gait ataxia
unilateral hearing loss/tinnitus
how does the epley manoevre actually work its magic?
hooshes otoliths back into utricle
y’alright kate hun?
yeh :)
which nerve supplies all the intrinsic muscles of the larynx exc cricothyroid?
recurrent laryngeal
cricothyroid supplied by superior laryngeal
hoarsness may be a warning of impending ariway obstruction, in….
acute epiglottitis
anaphylaxis
trauma
- dont examine throat. call anaesthetics/ENT