Head & Neck Surgery Flashcards
What is anosmia?
Inability to smell
What is otorrhea?
Fluid discharge from ear
What is dysphagia?
Difficulty swallowing
What is odynophagia?
Painful swallowing
What is globus?
Sensation of a lump in the throat
What is otalgia?
Ear pain (often referred from throat)
What is trismus?
Difficulty opening mouth
What is CN I and its motor/sensory actions?
Olfactory nerve.
Smell.
What is CN II and its motor/sensory actions?
Optic nerve.
Sight (sensory pupil reaction).
What is CN III and its motor/sensory actions?
Oculomotor nerve.
Eyeball movement, pupil sphincter, ciliary muscle (motor pupil reaction).
What is CN IV and its motor/sensory actions?
Trochlear nerve.
Superior oblique muscle movement.
What is CN V and its motor/sensory actions?
Trigeminal nerve.
Motor: chewing (massester).
Sensory: face, teeth, sinuses, cornea.
What is CN VI and its motor/sensory actions?
Abducens nerve.
Lateral rectus muscle (lateral gaze).
What is CN VII and its motor/sensory actions?
Facial nerve.
Motor: facial muscles, lacrimal/sublingual/submandibular glands.
Sensory: anterior tongue/soft palate, taste.
What is CN VIII and its motor/sensory actions?
Vestibulocochlear nerve.
Hearing, positioning.
What is CN IX and its motor/sensory actions?
Glossopharyngeal nerve.
Motor: stylopharyngeus, parotid, pharynx.
Sensory: posterior tongue, pharynx, middle ear.
What is CN X and its motor/sensory actions?
Vagus nerve.
Motor: vocal cords, heart, bronchus, GI tract.
Sensory: bronchus, heart, GI tract, larynx, ear.
What is CN XI and its motor/sensory actions?
Accessory nerve.
Motor: trapezius, SCM muscles.
What is CN XII and its motor/sensory actions?
Hypoglossal nerve.
Motor: tongue, strap muscles (ansa cervicalis branch)
What are the 3 divisions of the trigeminal nerve?
- Ophthalmic
- Maxillary
- Mandibular
What happens when the hypoglossal nerve is cut?
When the patient sticks out the tongue, it deviates to the same side as the injury
What is the duct of the submandibular gland called?
Wharton’s duct
What is the duct of the parotid gland called?
Stensen’s duct
What is the source of blood supply to the nose?
- Internal carotid artery (anterior and posterior ethmoidal arteries via ophthalmic artery)
- External carotid artery (superior labial artery via facial artery, and sphenopalatine artery via internal maxillary artery)
What are the 3 bones that make up the posterior nasal septum?
- Ethmoid (perpendicular plate)
- Vomer
- Palatine
What are the 7 bones of the bony eyeball orbit?
- Frontal
- Zygoma
- Maxillary
- Lacrimal
- Ethmoid
- Palatine
- Sphenoid
What are the 4 strap muscles?
- Thyrohyoid
- Omohyoid
- Sternothyroid
- Sternohyoid
Which muscle crosses the external and internal carotid arteries?
Digastric muscle
In a neck incision, what is the first muscle incised?
Platysma
Which nerve supplies the strap muscle?
Ansa cervicalis (XII)
What are the anterior and posterior neck triangles?
Two regions of the neck, divided by the SCM
Which nerve runs with the carotid in the carotid sheath?
Vagus
Which nerve crosses the internal carotid artery at approximately 1-2 cm above the bifurcation?
Hypoglossal nerve
What are the 3 auditory ossicle bones?
- Malleus
- Incus
- Stapes
What comprises the middle ear?
Eustachian tube, ossicle bones, tympanic membrane, mastoid air cell
What comprises the inner ear?
Cochlea, semicircular canals, internal auditory canal
What is otitis externa?
Swimmer’s ear:
Generalized infection involving the external ear canal and often the tympanic membrane.
What is the usual cause of otitis externa?
Prolonged water exposure and damaged squamous epithelium of the ear canal
What are the typical pathogens in otitis externa?
Pseudomonas, Proteus, Staphylococcus.
Occasionally, E. coli, fungi (Asperigillus, Candida), or virus (HSV).
What are the signs and symptoms of otitis externa?
Otalgia; swelling of external ear, ear canal or both; erythema; pain on manipulation of the auricle; debris in canal; otorrhea
What is the treatment for otitis externa?
Keep the ear dry.
Mild infections respond to cleaning and dilute acetic acid drops.
Most infections require complete removal of all debris and topical antibiotics +/- hydrocortisone.
What is malignant otitis externa?
Fulminant bacterial otitis externa
Who is affected by malignant otitis externa?
Elderly patient, poorly controlled diabetes
What are the causative organisms in malignant otitis externa?
Pseudomonas
What is the classic feature of malignant otitis externa?
Nub of granulation tissue on the floor of the external ear canal at the bony-cartilaginous junction
What are the signs and symptoms of malignant otitis externa?
Severe ear pain, excessive purulent discharge, usually exposed bone, nub of granulation tissue on the floor of the external ear canal at the bony-cartilaginous junction
What are the diagnostic tests for malignant otitis externa?
- CT (erosion of bone, inflammation)
- Technetium-99 scan (temporal bone inflammatory process)
- Gallium-tagged white blood cell scan
What are the complications of malignant otitis externa?
Invasion of surrounding structures to produce a cellulitis, osteomyelitis of temporal bone, mastoiditis.
Later, facial nerve palsy, meningitis, brain abscess.
What is the treatment for malignant otitis externa?
Control of diabetes, meticulous local care with extensive debridement, hospitalization and IV antibiotics
What are the most common types of tumors of the external ear?
Squamous cell carcinoma
Also, basal cell and melanoma
From what location do tumors of the external ear typically arise?
Auricle
What is the associated risk factor for external ear tumors?
Excessive sun exposure
What is the treatment for cancers of the auricle?
Usually wedge excision
What is the treatment for external ear tumors extending into the ear canal?
May require excision of the external ear canal or partial temporal bone excision
What is the treatment for external ear tumors with middle ear involvement?
En bloc temporal bone resection and lymph node dissection
What is the etiology of a tympanic membrane perforation?
Usually result of trauma (direct or indirect) or secondary to middle ear infection.
Often occurs secondary to slap to the side of the head (compression injury), explosions.
What are the symptoms of a tympanic membrane perforation?
Pain, bleeding from the ear, conductive hearing loss, tinnitus
What are the signs of a tympanic membrane perforation?
Clot in the meatus, visible tear in the TM
What is the treatment for a tympanic membrane perforation?
Keep dry.
Use systemic antibiotics if there is evidence of infection or contamination.
What is the prognosis for a tympanic membrane perforation?
Most (90%) heal spontaneously, though larger perforations may require surgery (fat plug, temporalis fascia tympanoplasty)
What is a cholesteatoma?
An epidermal inclusion cyst of the middle ear or mastoid, containing desquamated keratin debris.
May be acquired or congenital.
What are the causes of cholesteatoma?
Negative middle ear pressure from eustachian tube dysfunction (primary acquired) or direct growth of epithelium through a TM perforation (secondary acquired)
What other condition is cholesteatoma often associated with?
Chronic middle ear infection
What is the usual history of cholesteatoma?
Chronic ear infection with chronic, malodorous drainage
What is the appearance of cholesteatoma?
Grayish-white, shiny keratinous mass behind or involving the TM; often described as a “pearly” lesion
What are the associated problems with cholesteatoma?
Ossicular erosion, producing conductive hearing loss.
Also, local invasion resulting in: vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss, facial paresis/paralysis, CNS dysfunction or infection.
What is the treatment for cholesteatoma?
Surgery (tympanoplasty/mastoidectomy) aimed at eradication of disease and reconstruction of the ossicular chain
What is bullous myringitis?
Vesicular infection of the TM and adjacent deep canal
What are the causative agents of bullous myringitis?
Unknown.
Viral should be suspected because of frequent association with viral URI.
What are the symptoms of bullous myringitis?
Acute severe ear pain, low-grade fever, bloody drainage
What are the findings on otoscopic examination of bullous myringitis?
Large, reddish blebs on the TM, wall of the meatus, or both
Is hearing affected in bullous myringitis?
Rarely, with occasional reversible sensorineural loss
What is the treatment for bullous myringitis?
Oral antibiotics (erythromycin if Mycoplasma is suspected). Topical analgesics may be used, with resolution of symptoms usually occurring in 36 hours.
What is acute suppurative otitis media?
Bacterial infection of the middle ear, often following a viral URI.
May be associated with a middle ear effusion.
What is the cause of acute suppurative otitis media?
Dysfunction of the eustachian tube that allows bacterial entry from nasopharynx.
Often associated with an occluded eustachian tube, although it is uncertain whether this is a cause or a result of the infection.
What are the predisposing factors for acute suppurative otitis media?
Young age, male gender, bottle feeding, crowded living conditions, cleft palate, Down syndrome, CF
What are the causative agents of acute suppurative otitis media?
Strep pneumo, H. flu, Moraxella, Staph, Beta-hemolytic Strep, Pseudomonas, Viral
What are the causative agents of acute suppurative otitis media in infants younger than 6 months?
Staph aureus, E. coli, Klebsiella
What are the symptoms of acute suppurative otitis media?
Otalgia, fever, decreased hearing, infant pulls on ear, increased irritability.
As many as 25% of patients are asymptomatic.
What are the signs of acute suppurative otitis media?
First, redness of the TM, later TM bulging with loss of the normal landmarks, then impaired TM mobility on pneumatic otoscopy
If pain disappears instantly in acute suppurative otitis media, what may have happened?
TM perforation
What are the complications of acute suppurative otitis media?
TM perforation, acute mastoiditis, meningitis, brain abscess, extradural abscess, labyrinthitis.
If recurrent or chronic, may have adverse effects on speech and cognitive development due to decreased hearing.
What is the treatment for acute suppurative otitis media?
10-day course of antibiotics (amoxicillin, Bactrim, or erythromycin)
What is the usual course of acute suppurative otitis media?
Symptoms usually resolve in 24-36 hours
What are the indications for myringotomy and PE tube placement in acute suppurative otitis media?
- Persistent middle ear effusion over 3 months
- Debilitated or immunocompromised patient
- 4+ episodes over 6 months
What is a PE tube?
Pneumatic Equalization tube, placed across tympanic membrane
What is a Bezold’s abscess?
Abscess behind the superior attachment of the SCM muscle resulting from extension of a mastoid infection
What are the causes of chronic otitis media?
Mixed, Staph aureus, Pseudomonas
What are the signs and symptoms of chronic otitis media?
Otorrhea and hearing loss
What is otosclerosis?
Genetic disease characterized by abnormal spongy and sclerotic bone formation in the temporal bone around the footplate of the stapes, thus preventing its normal movement
What is the inheritance pattern of otosclerosis?
AD with incomplete penetrance (33%)
What are the symptoms of otosclerosis?
Painless, progressive hearing loss (may be unilateral or bilateral), tinnitus
What is the usual age of onset for otosclerosis?
2nd-4th decade
How is the diagnosis of otosclerosis made?
Normal TM with conductive hearing loss and no middle-ear effusion (though may be mixed or even sensorineural if bone of cochlea is affected)
What is Schwartze’s sign?
Erythema around the stapes from hypervascularity of new bone formation
What is the treatment for otosclerosis?
Frequently surgical (stapedectomy with placement of prosthesis), hearing aid, or observation. Sodium fluoride may be used if a sensorineural component is present or for preoperative stabilization.
How is facial nerve paralysis localized?
- Supranuclear: Paralysis of lower face only, forehead muscles are spared because of bilateral corticobulbar supply.
- Intratemporal bone: Paralysis of upper and lower face, decreased tearing, altered taste, absent stapedius reflex.
- Distal to stylomastoid foramen: Paralysis of facial muscles only.
What are the causes of facial nerve paralysis?
Bell’s palsy, trauma, cholesteatoma, tumor (carcinoma, glomus jugulare), herpes zoster inflammation of geniculate ganglion, peripheral lesions are usually parotid gland tumors
What is the most common cause of bilateral facial nerve palsy?
Lyme disease
What is Bell’s palsy?
Sudden onset, unilateral facial weakness or paralysis in absence of CNS, ear, or cerebellopontine angle disease
What is the clinical course of Bell’s palsy?
Acute onset, with greatest muscle weakness reached within 3 weeks
What is the incidence of Bell’s palsy?
Most common cause of unilateral facial weakness/paralysis
What is the pathogenesis of Bell’s palsy?
Unknown.
Most widely accepted hypothesis is viral etiology (HSV).
Ischemic and immunologic factors are also implicated.
What is the common preceding event in Bell’s palsy?
URI
What are the signs and symptoms of Bell’s palsy?
Pathology is related to swelling of the facial nerve.
May present with total facial paralysis, altered lacrimation, increased tearing on affected side, change in taste if region above chorda tympani is affected, dry mouth, and hyperacusis.
What is the treatment for Bell’s palsy?
Usually none is required, as most cases resolve spontaneously in 1 month.
Protect eye with drops and tape closed as needed.
Most otolaryngologists advocate steroids and acyclovir.
Surgical decompression of CN VII is indicated if paralysis progresses or tests indicate deterioration.
What is the prognosis for Bell’s palsy?
Overall, 90% of patients recover completely
What is sensorineural hearing loss?
Hearing loss from a lesion occurring in the cochlea or acoustic nerve, rather than the external or middle ear
What are the symptoms of sensorineural hearing loss?
Distortion of hearing, impaired speech discrimination, tinnitus
What are the signs of sensorineural hearing loss?
Air conduction is better than bone conduction (positive Rinne test), Weber materializes to the side without the defect.
Audiogram most commonly shows greatest loss in high-frequency tones.
What is the Weber test?
Tuning fork on middle of head (lateral louder = either ipsilateral conductive loss or contralateral sensorineural)
What is the Rinne test?
Tuning fork on mastoid and then next to ear (conductive loss louder on mastoid)
What are the causes of sensorineural hearing loss?
Aging (presbycusis); acoustic injury from sudden or prolonged exposure to loud noises; perilymph fistula; congenital (TORCHES); Meniere’s disease; drug or toxin; acoustic neuroma; pseudotumor cerebri; CNS disease; endocrine disorders; sarcoidosis
What is the most common cause of sensorineural hearing loss in children?
Meningitis (bacterial)
What is the treatment for sensorineural hearing loss?
Treatment of underlying cause, hearing aids, lip reading, cochlear implant
What is vertigo?
Sensation of head/body movement, or movement of surroundings (usually rotational)
What is the cause of vertigo?
Asymmetric neuronal activity between right and left vestibular systems
What is the history of peripheral vertigo?
Severe vertigo, N/V, always accompanied by horizontal or rotatory nystagmus (fast component almost always to side opposite disease), other evidence of inner ear disease (tinnitus, hearing loss)
What are the risk factors for peripheral vertigo?
Frequently associated with a previously operated ear, a chronic draining ear, barotrauma, or head trauma
What is the history of central vertigo?
Found in brainstem or cerebellum: insidious onset, less intense and more subtle sensation of vertigo.
Occasionally, vertical nystagmus.
What are the steps in diagnostic evaluation of vertigo?
Careful neurologic and otologic examinations are required.
May need FTA/VDRL, temporal bone scans, CT, MRI, ENG, position testing, audiometric testing.
What is the most common etiology of vertigo?
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV):
History of brief spells of severe vertigo with specific head positions.
What is the differential diagnosis for vertigo?
- Central: vertebral basilar insufficiency, Wallenberg syndrome, MS, epilepsy, migraine.
- Peripheral: BPPV, motion sickness, syphilis, Meniere’s disease, vestibular neuronitis, labyrinthitis, acoustic neuroma, perilymph fistula.
What is Tullio’s phenomenon?
Induction of vertigo by loud noises.
Classically, result of otosyphilis.
What is Meniere’s disease?
Disorder of the membranous labyrinth, causing fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss, episodic vertigo, nystagmus, tinnitus, aural fullness, N/V
What is the classic triad of Meniere’s disease?
- Hearing loss
- Tinnitus
- Vertigo
What is the pathophysiology of Meniere’s disease?
Obscure, but most experts believe excessive production or defective resorption of endolymph
What is the medical treatment for Meniere’s disease?
Salt restriction, diuretics (thiazides), anti-nausea agents, occasionally diazepam
What are the indications for surgery with Meniere’s disease?
Surgery is offered to those who fail medical treatment or who have incapacitating vertigo
What are the surgical options for Meniere’s disease?
- Shunt from membranous labyrinth to subarachnoid space
- Vestibular neurectomy
- Labyrinthectomy