Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth & Neck Flashcards
What is required for a complete exam of the head and neck?
visual inspection, obtaining measurements, palpation, ophthalmoscope, auscultation and transillumination
What state is optimal for assessment?
to facilitate an optimal assessment with minimal discomfort, a quiet alert state allows for examination of the eyes and a crying state allows for examination of the oropharynx
What is included in general initial observation?
infant’s state; race-specific variations; color of the skin and mucous membranes; size and symmetry of the head and face; obvious deformations, malformations or evidence of birth trauma
What percentage of all anomalies seen at birth occur in the region of the head and neck?
90%; minor anomalies of the head and neck are common
What is the first step in the assessment of head size?
measurement of the occipital-frontal circumference (OFC)
How is an OFC measurement properly obtained?
by measuring 3 times and recording the largest value obtained; encircling the head at the widest occiput prominence and anteriorly 1-2 cm above the glabellar space at the largest frontal prominence
What is the average OFC measurement of a 40 week term infant?
35 cm, ranging from 33-37cm between the 10th and 90th percentile
Prior to the closure of the fontanels, the OFC is an indirect measurement of what?
intracranial contents including the brain, cerebrospinal fluid, cerebral blood volume and bone
How can an OFC measurement after birth be possibly misleading?
r/t cranial molding, scalp edema or hemorrhage under the periosteum; subsequent measurements should be taken for several days after birth
What is required to diagnose symmetric v asymmetric growth restriction and micro- v macrocephaly?
the percentile of OFC, weight and length respective to gestational age
What qualifies as microcephaly?
OFC <10% for GA
What causes microcephaly?
poor brain growth
How are cranial sutures affected by microcephaly?
cranial sutures become prematurely fused because the expansive force of brain growth that enlarges the cranial vault is lacking
Is microcephaly an isolated finding?
Sometimes, or it may be associated with a genetic syndrome or congenital infx
Under what circumstances might an OFC measurement be less than expected?
prematurity; discrepancies may be d/t inaccurate dating and/or pathologic restriction of growth; non-caucasian infants have a smaller OFC as a normal race variation
Which occurs more frequently: growth restriction or growth acceleration?
growth restriction
What qualifies as macrocephaly?
OFC >90% despite appropriate weight and length for GA
Why might macrocephaly present?
may be a familial characteristic or caused by hydrocephalus or a/w dwarfism or OI
What is the typical presentation of familial macrocephaly?
more often presents as macrencephaly (large brain volume) without hydrocephalic features
How is familial macrocephaly confirmed?
confirmation requires obtaining measurements of the parents’ heads and plotting them on a Weaver curve
When is cranial transillumination indicated?
When the infant’s head has an unusual shape or size or the neurological exam is abnormal
What is implied by a ring of light >2cm larger than the light source when performing a cranial transillumination?
increased fluid volume or decreased brain tissue in the cranium
Under what circumstances might an examiner obtain a “false positive” when performing a cranial transillumination?
when the infant has a large caput because the scalp edema will transmit a halo of light
In the infant presenting with a high level of suspicion for hydrocephalus, transillumination is often replaced by what other more definitive studies?
cranial ultrasound, CT scan or MRI
The relative shape of an infant’s head typically relates to what?
molding of the skull during delivery
What is the typical shape of an infant’s head delivered via CSX?
well rounded
What is the typical shape of an infant’s head delivered in breech position?
molded posteriorly into an egg shape with a prominent occiput
What is the typical shape of an infant’s head delivered following prolonged diagonal pressure?
“out of round” or asynclitic when viewed from above
What can be expected of distorted skull shape due to positional, external pressures in utero or during labor?
to spontaneous resolve; molding usually resolves within a few weeks following birth
What is a suture?
fibrous bands of tissue that separate bones
What is a fontanel?
occur at the intersection of sutures
Where is the metopic suture located?
the metopic suture extends midline down the forehead between the two frontal bones and intersects with the coronal suture
Where is the coronal suture located?
the coronal suture is situated anterolaterally across the cranium separating the frontal and parietal bones
What is formed at the intersection of the metopic, coronal and sagittal sutures?
the anterior fontanel (AF)
What is the typical size of the AF?
the size of the AF varies from 0.6-3.6cm across; in African American infants, it is commonly larger (1.4-4.7cm)
How are fontanels measured?
diagonally from bone to bone rather than from suture to suture
What can fontanel measurement provide?
because there is a wide variation of fontanel size at birth, the measurement may serve only as a baseline for serial comparison. Individual measurements have no clinical significance and limited reproducibility
How is the AF typically described?
flat and soft is assessed with the infant in a quiet state with the infant held in the sitting position
What might a tense or bulging fontanel indicate?
increased ICP or may occur with a crying infant
What might a sunken fontanel indicate?
severe dehydration and is rarely seen in the newborn nursery; may indicate excessive or acute decompression by an EVD
What might a very large AF indicate?
congenital hypothyroidism
When is the AF expected to close?
between 6-24mo of age
Where is auscultation performed?
over the fontanels and lateral skull bones
When is auscultation of the fontanels specifically indicated?
infants with multiple hemangiomas or heart failure
What does the appreciation of a bruit over the fontanels or lateral skull indicate?
may be a normal finding; a bruit in infant with suspected cardiac failure is a/w an intracranial arteriovenous malformation- which may be the cause of the CHF
Where is the sagittal suture located?
the sagittal suture extends midline between the two parietal bones to the PF
Where is the lambdoidal suture located?
the lambdoidal suture extends posterolaterally across the cranium to separate the occipital and parietal bones
What is formed at the intersection of the lambdoidal and sagittal sutures?
the PF
What is the approximate size of the PF?
0.5cm in Caucasian infants; 0.7cm in AA
When does the PF close?
approximately by 2-3mo of age
How does the PF typically present?
soft and flat on palpation
If present, where can a third fontanel be found?
may occur along the sagittal suture between the AF and PF
Is the third fontanel a true fontanel?
No, it is a defect of the parietal bone
What might the presence of a third fontanel indicate?
may be a normal variation or may be a/w Down syndrome or congenital hypothyroidism
Where is the squamosal suture located?
extends above the ear to separate the temporal bone from the parietal bone
Where is the sphenoid fontanel located?
at the intersection of the coronal and squamosal sutures and posterior to the frontal bone, distal to the parietal bone and anterior to the temporal bone
Where is the mastoid fontanel located?
at the intersection the squamosal and lambdoidal sutures and posterior to the temporal bone, distal to the parietal bone and anterior to the occipital bone
Under what conditions can the mastoid fontanel, sphenoid fontanel and squamosal suture be palpated?
only with increased ICP as with severe hydrocephalus, but may be palpable in preterm infant r/t rapid brain growth
How is mobility of the sutures assessed?
placing the thumbs on the bones on either side of the suture and gently pressing down alternately with one thumb then the other
How are normal sutures described?
approximated and mobile, may be split up to 1 cm
What are overriding sutures?
with molding, the edge of the bone on one side of the suture will feel as if is it on top of the edge of the opposing bone
What suture is commonly overriding?
lambdoidal sutures- the parietal bone on top of the occipital bone due to molding after birth or with minor decrease in hydration
What is craniosynostosis?
premature fusion of the suture
How is craniosynostosis differentiated from an overriding suture?
presents as a peaking of the approximated bones and is immobile
How is head shape affected by craniosynostosis?
premature closure stops perpendicular growth to the suture but allows parallel bone growth and compensatory expansion at the functional sutures leading to abnormal head shape
When can craniosynostosis present?
may be present at birth, or later in infancy
How does brachycephaly occur?
fused coronal sutures limit forward growth of the skull and lead to a broad shaped skull
How does scaphocephaly occur?
premature closure of the sagittal suture limits lateral growth and results in a long, narrow head
How does plagiocephaly occur?
closure of a laterally positioned suture results in asymmetric skull shape
What is the term for an abnormally shaped preterm infant’s head relating to postnatal positioning and without craniosynostosis?
dolichocephaly
How can craniosynostosis present?
can be a primary finding or may be a/w a genetic syndrome (Apert or Crouzon) or the result of a metabolic disorder (hypothyroidism)
what is the incidence of isolated craniosynostosis?
0.4-1 per 1,000 live births
What are craniotabes?
palpation of the skull may reveal areas of soft or thinning bone
What is the Macewen sign?
palpating the skull in an area of thinning bone that elicits collapse with recoil of the underlying bone and a snapping sensation
Why are craniotabes sometimes present?
an incidental finding on the parietal bones near the sagittal suture; d/t external pressure from prolonged vertex engagement or pressure of the fetal head on the uterine fundus with breech position; or r/t internal pressure and hydrocephalus
If craniotabes are present due to external pressures, when can they be expected to resolve?
a few weeks
If craniotabes are present due to internal pressures, when can they be expected to resolve?
resolution depends on the degree and persistence of internal pressure causing bone thinning
What is the most common form of trauma to the head during birth?
caput succedaneum
What is a caput?
edema of the presenting part of the scalp caused by pressure that restricts the return of venous and lymph flow during labor and delivery; may be accentuated by vacuum assist
What are the defining characteristics of a caput?
edema pits with pressure, edges are poorly defined and crosses suture lines
When can a caput be expected to resolve?
caput is noted immediately after birth and resolves within a few days (unlike a cephalhematoma)
How is a cephalhematoma formed?
the result from the collection of blood between the periosteum and the skull
Why might a cephalhematoma not be evident at birth?
may be obscured by a caput
What are the defining characteristics of a cephalhematoma?
clearly demarcated edges confined by suture lines
How long does it take for a cephalhematoma to resolve?
with time it may liquefy and become fluctunant on palpation; takes weeks to months to resolve completely
What are the most common locations for a cephalhematoma to present?
the parietal and occipital bones
How frequently are cephalhematomas associated with depressed skull fractures?
rarely
What is the most potentially serious lesion presenting from birth trauma?
a subgaleal hemorrhage
What actions in a delivery increase the risk of a resultant subgaleal hemorrhage?
most common with instrumental vaginal delivery, especially vacuum; sometimes occurs with CSX or any maneuver during delivery that produces a shearing forces to the scalp resulting in tearing of the large emissary veins
What is a subgaleal hemorrhage?
bleeding into the galen aponeurotica or subaponeurotica space, which extends from the orbital ridges to the nape of the neck and laterally to the ears
Why is a subgaleal hemorrhage potentially life threatening?
this potential space produces a large compartment capable of containing the total blood volume of an infant (5-22% mortality rate is blood loss is extensive and not diagnosed early)
How does a subgaleal hemorrhage typically present?
generalized scalp edema, usually with ecchymosis, BL or unilateral periorbital and periauricular edema
How does a subgaleal hemorrhage present on palpation?
the ballotable fluid mass crosses the sutures and can be manually repositioned from the eyebrows to the nape of the neck, differentiating it from a caput.
If permitted to progress, a subgaleal hemorrhage will result in, what?
severe anemia, hypotension and death
How is a subgaleal hemorrhage managed?
volume resuscitation, blood replacement and treatment of presenting clot abnormalities
What additional scalp traumas may occur resulting from delivery?
puncture from scalp electrodes, lacerations from fetal blood sampling or uterine incision, bruises, abrasions or subQ fat necrosis from an instrument delivery
How should trauma from a delivery be described?
by appearance, size, location near sutures or fontanel or underlying bones
When are open scalp defects (aplasia cutis congenita) observed?
may be a normal variant but are sometimes a/w trisomy 13