Head and Neck

Question 1

What is microtia?

Answer 1

congenital malformation of the ear

Question 2

What is a preauricular tag?

Answer 2

weird ear formation before the ear.

Question 3

What is the difference in the kind of material found in the lateral vs. medial ear?

Answer 3

lateral is cartilagenous, deeper ear is bony

Question 4

What is otitis externa?

Answer 4

swimner’s ear: inflammation of the external auditory canal. causes ear ache

Question 5

What kinds of pathology can I see in the tympanic membrane?

Answer 5

retraction with effusion in middle ear
perforation. tympanosclerosis (looks like a white spot on the tympanic membrane), cholesteatoma: skin growth behind the ear drum commonly seen after mastoidectomy

Question 6

What is cholesteatoma?

Answer 6

skin growth beind the ear commonly seen after masoidectomy

Question 7

What are three kinds of external nose pathology?

Answer 7

rhinophyma: usually caused by untreated rosacea (nose is bumpy and looks like the surface of the moon)
skin cancer
saddle nose deformity at the juncture of the bone and the cartilage. septum of the nose may break down from trauma or surgery. Cartilage not longer supports the soft tissue

Question 8

What does allergic rhinitus look like in the nose?

Answer 8

white bumps with blue/grey turbinates

Question 9

What is septal perforation and one cause of it?

Answer 9

hole through the septum. often caused by cocaine use. occasionally, a fistula between the mouth and the nose develops…

Question 10

What are some growth-like things you may see in the nose?

Answer 10

turbinate hypertrophy
polyps
inverting papilloma- will look like little bubbles. Some may turn cancerous (caused by HPV)

Question 11

What divides the oral cavity from the oropharynx?

Answer 11

anterior pillar

Question 12

What should I know about tonsillitis?

Answer 12

you may see redness, assymmetry, pus.
graded on a 1-4 scale
0 is tonsils absent
1: recessed into fossa
2: extend to tonsillar pillars
3: extend beyond pillars
4 extend to midline and are touching

Question 13

What might I notice with peritonsillar abscesses?

Answer 13

displaced uvula

Question 14

What are tonsilloliths?

Answer 14

from sloughed lining of the mouth and food particles. can represent local infections. Often extrude on their own, causing severe bad breath.

Question 15

What are some signs of tonsilar cancer?

Answer 15

very very asymmetric tonsils. uvula should be midline (if not, suspect abscess).

Question 16

Where should I check for cancer?

Answer 16

tongue, floor of mouth, buccal surfaces, palate

Question 17

What are normal bumps to see in the mouth?

Answer 17

palatal tori, mandiibular tori

Question 18

What should you look for in terms of salivary glands?

Answer 18

asymmetry, sings of inflammation, salivary flow, stones

Question 19

Where are the important salivary glands/ducts in the mouth?

Answer 19

parotid duct in side of cheek (called stenson's duct)
submandibular duct (wharton's duct) under tongue

Question 20

In what conditions will you see parotits?

Answer 20

Mumps! this is associated with hearing loss.

mumps is a viral disease. spread through droplets. might cause infertility in boys/mend due to testicular swelling.

Question 21

You’ve treated someone for tonsilitis. But, her symptoms continue to worsen. What is a complication I should be concerned about? How would I treat it? What would I see on imaging?

Answer 21

worry about peritonsilar abcess, especially since the tonsil has a lot of avascular tissue that is hard to treat with antibiotics. You need to drain the fluid from the abscess. You may note the uvula is not midline. I may see a ring enhancing lesion around the abscess.

Question 22

What are some signs of throat cancer?

Answer 22

progressively sore throat
unilateral ear pain
voice change

Question 23

What are some signs of epiglottis?

Answer 23

history suggestive of Hib
tripoding
inspiratory stridor
thumb sign on sray
AIRWAY EMERGENCY

Question 24

What is one cause of polyps in the nose?

Answer 24

chronic inflammation, as in patients with long history of allergy

Question 25

What is a ranula?

Answer 25

cyst full of saliva. grows progressively and is usually painless. Sounds a lot like cancer: but you will feel fluid rolling under your finger.

Question 26

Why should people with bad teeth get good fitting dentures?

Answer 26

bad teeth = chronic inflammation
poorly fitting dentures = chronic inflammation
chronic inflammation can lead to cancer

Question 27

What is Ludwig’s angina?

Answer 27

AIRWAY EMERGENCY

cellulitis on the floor of the mouth, often after having a tooth pulled.