Lecture 7: Middle and Outer Ear Flashcards
What part of the external ear canal contains hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and ceruminous glands?
Outer one-third.
What are the 4 types of otitis externa?
- Acute otitis externa (Swimmer’s ear and Localized)
- Chronic otitis externa (Otomycosis and non-infective)
- Malignant/necrotizing otitis externa
- Herpes zoster oticus or ramsey-hunt syndrome
What is the MC of diffuse acute otitis externa or swimmer’s ear?
Pseudomonas
What is the MC of localized acute otitis externa or furunculosis?
Infection of a hair follicle
Staph aureus.
Where is acute otitis externa - diffuse?
Ear canal
What can generally cause Swimmer’s ear?
- Swimming
- Bacterial infections (Pseudomonas #1)
- Overcleaning of ear
- Warm, moist environments (summer)
- Trauma
Why does swimming cause swimmer’s ear?
- The outer ear canal has an acidic pH.
- Long-term exposure to water makes it prone to maceration.
- Water can wash off the protective cerumen.
- Bacterial infections or macerations can occur more easily.
What clinical symptoms are typical of swimmer’s ear?
- Itching
- Severe pain
- Conductive hearing loss
- Sense of fullness/pressure
What clinical signs are typical of swimmer’s ear?
- Otorrhea
- Pain upon tragus palpation or auricle traction. (CLASSIC)
- Swollen, red canal
- Moist debris in canal
- TM difficult to visualize
How do you diagnose swimmer’s ear?
Clinical presentation.
How do you treat swimmer’s ear?
- Clean out ear via hypertonic saline.
- Topical ABX (cipro, ofloxacin, cortisporin)
- Pain relief
- Ear wick
What is an ear wick?
A cotton thingie that expands when moistened. Helps distribute abx and protect ear canal, esp in children.
What is the first-line abx for severe/immunocompromised swimmer’s ear?
Cipro 500mg BID x 1 week
Covers pseudomonas
What is the first-line tx for furunculosis?
Oral dicloxacillin or cephalexin
What are the 2 MC organisms for otomycosis/chronic otitis externa?
- Aspergillosis
- Candidiasis
What risk factors tend to contribute to otomycosis?
- Previous abx in ear
- Hot/humid
How does otomycosis typically present?
- Mild pain
- Deep-seated itching (concerning)
- Discomfort
- Discharge
- Looks like mold growing on food
- Soft-white
How do you treat otomycosis?
- Clean ear canal
- Clotrimazole solution 1% BID for 10-14 days
What 3 skin conditions can result in non-infective chronic otitis externa?
- Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Psoriasis
- Contact dermatitis
How does non-infective chronic otitis externa look like?
Red, scaly, and dry skin
How do you treat non-infective chronic otitis externa?
Topical/otic drop hydrocortisone.
What is the MC organism for malignant or necrotizing otitis externa?
Pseudomonas
What populations are MC at risk for necrotizing otitis externa?
- Elderly pts with DM
- Immunocompromised pts
Why is necrotizing otitis externa concerning?
Can spread to the bone and then skull.
AKA osteomyelitis
What clinical findings would suggest that a patient has necrotizing otitis externa?
- Severe, deep seated otalgia disproportionate to exam findings.
- Purulent otorrhea
- Temporal HA
- Not responding to otic drops!
- Granulation tissue at the bony cartilaginous junction of the ear canal floor (HALLMARK SIGN)
How do we determine the extent of necrotizing chronic otitis externa?
- CT scan (osseous erosion extent)
- Biopsy of granulation tissue
How do we treat necrotizing chronic otitis externa?
- Aggressive glycemic control (DM pts)
- IV Cipro 200-400mg BID (FIRST-LINE)
- Oral Cipro 500-1000mg BID (once IV is done)
- Surgical debridement (if severe and refractory)
When can we stop oral cipro for necrotizing chronic otitis externa?
Gallium (nuclear) scan shows no more inflammation!
Check at 6-8 weeks.
What is herpes zoster oticus?
An infection of the geniculate ganglion, AKA the sensory ganglion of the facial nerve.
What are the S/S of Ramsey-hunt syndrome/Herpes Zoster oticus?
- Unilateral facial palsy
- Severe otalgia
- Vesicular eruption on face
Difficult to distinguish from Bell’s if a rash is not present initially.
What is the treatment for Herpes Zoster oticus?
Prednisone + Famciclovir/Valacyclovir
Clinical
A parent brings her 11 year old son into the clinic with the chief complaint of ear pain. The child states it started yesterday evening. It is tender to the touch. He states he has been swimming for the past several days. On PE, you notice pain on palpation of tragus and significant purulent drainage. What is your diagnosis and treatment for this patient?
a. Otitis externa and ear drops
b. Otitis media and oral antibiotics
c. Otitis externa and oral antibiotics
A. Otitis Externa and ear drops.
Swimmer’s ear + hallmark sign.
Clinical
What is the MC cause of Otitis externa furunculosis?
a. Staph Aureus
b. Pseudomonas
c. Strep. Pneumonia
A. Staph Aureus
B is swimmer’s ear.
Clinical
Which of the following should you suspect if you have acute otitis externa that is not responding to treatment?
a. Herpes zoster oticus
b. Otitis Externa Furunculosis
c. Malignant Necrotizing OE
C. Malignant Necrotizing OE
What are the functions of cerumen?
- Self-cleaning ear
- Antimicrobial
What usually causes cerumen impaction?
Overcleaning your ear canal.
How does cerumen impaction typically present?
- Ear pain/fullness
- Decreased conductive hearing
When is removal of cerumen impaction indicated?
- Examining TM
- OE
- Hearing loss workup
- Ear canal pathology
- Patient Request
When should cerumen impaction treatment NOT be performed?
- Perforated TM (or Hx of)
- Pain on previous irrigation
- Previous mastoidectomy or middle ear surgery
- Uncooperative patient or hard cerumen.
What are the techniques to remove ear wax?
- Body temp water irrigation
- Mechanical removal via curette
- Microsuction
What can you recommend to a patient for at home cerumen impaction removal?
- 3% h2o2
- Detergent ear drops
How do I remove a bug from an ear? Mechanical object?
- Lidocaine for a bug first before alligator forceps use.
- Mechanical object just needs the forceps. Can also irrigate if not organic and non-expandable uipon water.
Review
Which of the following is not an indication for cerumen impaction removal?
a. Patient request
b. Hearing loss evaluation
c. Difficulty examining TM
d. All of the above are indications
D. All of the above.
What is an auricle hematoma? Presentation?
Collection of blood under the perichondria.
Usually caused by direct trauma to anterior auricle.
Presents like a big swollen ear, often pale as well.
What does an untreated auricle hematoma become?
Cauliflower ear/Wrestler’s ear
What are the treatment goals for an auricular hematoma?
- Evacuate the perichondrial blood
- Prevent the blood from reaccumulating