Otology Flashcards

1
Q

What frequency of tuning forks should one use to peroform Rinnes and Webers tests?

A

512Hz

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2
Q

What does a Weber’s test lateralising to the right mean?

A

A conductive hearing loss in the R ear

Or

A sensorineural hearing loss in the L ear

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3
Q

If you get a senorineural loss in the L ear where will Webers test lateralise to?

A

The pt will have better hearing in the R ear.

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4
Q

If Rinne’s test is positive then is BC>AC or is AC

A

AC it better than (>) BC.

This is normal

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5
Q

If Rinne’s test is negative what does this mean?

A

That BC is better than AC.

This is abnormal and indicates a conductive hearing loss

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6
Q

What causes a false negative Rinne’s test?

A

The ear you are testing has profound sensorineural hearing loss (i.e. its dead)

So when testing BC the other ear picks up the sound giving the picture that BC>AC however BC and AC from that ear will not actually occur as it is dead.

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7
Q

Do pure tone audiograms test BC or AC?

A

They test both.

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8
Q

How are the L and R ears BC and AC noted down on a pure tone audiogram?

A

R - AC –> O RED
R - BC –> [ RED
L - AC –> X BLUE
L - BC –> ] BLUE

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9
Q

Under what volume should normal pt be able to hear and at what frequencies

A

Normal hearing is to be able to hear:

All frequencies

At at least 20dB or less

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10
Q

What indicates normal age-related hearing loss (presbycusis)?

A

A sloping off of hearing above 4000hz

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11
Q

What does tympanometry measure?

A

The compliance/stiffness of the eardrum

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12
Q

What is tympanometry also known as?

A

Impedance audiometry

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13
Q

In tympanometry the probe has a number of channels, what are these?

A

A speaker to send the sound wave

A microphone to receive the sound wave

A device to vary the pressure

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14
Q

What is a Type B tympanogram?

A

A flat line

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15
Q

What is a Type C tympanogram?

A

A normal shape graph BUT further towards the Y-axis

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16
Q

What does a Type C tympanogram indicate?

A

The drum is retracted, as there is a negative pressure in the middle ear.

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17
Q

What does a Type B tympanogram indicate?

A

There is fluid in the middle ear

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18
Q

What can an excessively tall peak on a tympanogram indicate?

A

A hyper mobile drum

such as in ossicular discontinuration

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19
Q

What is presbyacusis?

A

the degenerative loss of hearing in old age (>50yrs)

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20
Q

What are the characteristics of presbyacusis?

A

Bilateral high frequency hearing loss

With or without tinnitus

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21
Q

How is presbyacusis treated?

A

Hearing aids

to help with hearing loss and mask tinnitus

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22
Q

What causes presbyacusis?

A

Atrophy of the outer hair cells in the cochlea

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23
Q

What is a cholesteatoma?

A

a cyst or sac

of keratinizing squamous epithelium

in the middle ear and/or mastoid process

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24
Q

Where do cholesteatomas most commonly occur?

A

in the attic aka epitympanic part of the middle ear

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25
Q

What are the sings and symptoms of cholesteatoma?

A

foul smelling discharge (if CSOM)

a conductive hearing loss

attic aural polyps (a proliferation of chronic inflammatory cells)

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26
Q

What bacteria is thought to cause cholesteatoma?

A

Pseudomonas

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27
Q

What are thought to predispose a pt to cholesteatoma?

A

genes i.e. congenital

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28
Q

What are the risks of cholesteatoma?

A

It can essentially erode anything including: (it takes years)

ossicles - 50db conductive hearing loss

lateral semicircular canal - vertigo

CN7 - facial palsy

cochlea - sensorineural heaing loss

roof of middle ear into brain - sepsis

sigmoid sinus - thrombosis

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29
Q

How is cholesteatoma treated?

A

Surgical removal

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30
Q

What are the types of otitis media?

A

Otitis media with effusion (sterile fluid aka glue ear)

Acute (suppurative) otitis media (has a suppurative fluid and is due to infection)

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM)

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31
Q

What occurs if there are repeated attacks of acute otitis media?

A

The repeated attacks weaken the tympanic membrane.

This eventually causes perforation

which does not heal

This is now chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM)

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32
Q

Which demographic commonly get otitis media?

A

Children with URTI (these track up and cause OME)

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33
Q

What does the infection cause in acute otits media?

A

The infection in the middle ear causes pus accumulation

This leads to pressure on the tympanic membrane, thus pain.

This can then rupture causing otorrhoea and reduction in otalgia.

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34
Q

What are the symptoms of AOM?

A

Otalgia
Otorrhoea (one perforated)
Conductive hearing loss
Pyrexia

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35
Q

What is the treatment for AOM?

A

antibiotics (amoxycillin + clavulanic acid = Augmentin)

analgesia

Myringotomy (tiny incision is created in the eardrum) if condition fails to resolve or is having serious side-effects

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36
Q

How must a perforated ear be managed?

A

It should be kept dry until healed.

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37
Q

What is otitis media with effusion colloquially known as?

A

Glue ear

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38
Q

What is the essential cause of otitis media with effusion (Glue ear)

A

Poor ventilation of the middle ear due to narrowing of the eustachian tube.

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39
Q

How common is glue ear and what is the normal prognosis?

A

75% of children will have it at some point

most resolve spontaneously

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40
Q

How long can chronic otitis media with effusion last?

A

months or even years.

41
Q

What are the issues with long term glue ear?

A

can cause a hearing loss of ~25dB which can affect

schooling/development

It can predispose to acute supperative otitis media

42
Q

What is the consistancy of the liquid in otitis media with effusion?

A

Thick and sticky (however it is NOT purulent)

43
Q

What are the possible causes of eustachian tube narrowing (that leads to glue ear)?

A

infection or allergy of middle ear mucosa

eustachian tube dysfunction

as a sequale of acute supperative otitis media

44
Q

What is the treatment for glue ear?

A

50% resolve spontaneously in 3 months (so wait 3mnths 1st)

after which if not resolving treatment is indicated:

grommets
OR
hearing aid

for a few years as kids tend to grow out of it

45
Q

What degree of hearing loss can be expected in CSOM?

A

15dB normally

60dB if the ossicles are disrupted

46
Q

What is the treatment for CSOM?

A

aural toilet

and

antibiotic + steroid drops

Myringoplasty may help

47
Q

What is otosclerosis?

A

Spongy bone formation around the oval window and as it grows it fuses with the stapes

48
Q

What is the mechanism by which otosclerosis causes sensorineural hearing loss?

A

the compact bone (of the otic capsule/bony labyrinth) is replaced by spongy bone

which produces toxins

which destroy the cochlear

causing senirneural hearing loss

49
Q

What is the mechanism by which otosclerosis causes conductive hearing loss?

A

more commonly

the bony overgrowth affects the footplate of the stapes

which results in its fixation

and leads to conductive hearing loss

50
Q

What increases your risk of developing otosclerosis?

A

family history

51
Q

How common is otosclerosis?

A

1/100 but very few are symptomatic

52
Q

What are the symptoms/signs of otosclerosis?

A

Bilateral hearing loss
Paracusis willisii (background hearing is better)
Tinnitus
Positional vertigo

53
Q

What is the usual age otosclerosis become symptomatic?

A

30

54
Q

How is otosclerosis diagnosed?

A

Clinically: normal ear drum w/

conductive hearing loss

Definitively:

surgical examination of the stapes footplate (fixation being the most common cause of deafness in otosclerosis)

55
Q

What is the treatment for otosclerosis?

A

hearing aid (if required)

if severe then surgically replace the stapes with a Teflon piston (small risk of sensorineural deafness)

56
Q

What are the classical signs of noise induced hearing loss?

A

Tinnitus is very common

Classical 4 or 6kHz dip on audiogram

Genuine Hx of noise exposure

57
Q

What is the treatment for noise induced hearing loss?

A

Councelling for tinnitus

and provision of a hearing aid

58
Q

What is the usual cause of tinnitus?

A

Sensorineural hearing loss

59
Q

What is the classical presentation of Meniere’s disease?

A

Typically 45y/o with the triad:

1) Severe recurrent attacks of vertigo lasting from 10 minutes to 24 hours
2) Tinnitus
3) Fluctuating but deteriorating sensorineural hearing loss

60
Q

Is Meniere’s disease bi or unilateral?

A

unilateral but can progress to be bilateral

61
Q

What is the character of the hearing loss in Meniere’s disease?

A

initially affects the lower frequencies

Recovers but does eventually permanently deteriorate

62
Q

How often do attacks occur in Meniere’s disease?

A

In clusters or may only occur very occasionally.

63
Q

How is Meniere’s disease treated?

A

Acutely:

-> vestibular sedative (e.g. prochlorperazine)

Long term:

  • > betahistine (a vasodilator)
  • > diuretics
  • > avoidance of caffeine and salt

If severe:
-> Surgery - e.g. destroying the labyrinth or cutting 8th nerve.

64
Q

Is otitis externa acute or chronic?

A

It can be both

65
Q

What is otitis externa?

A

generalised inflammation of the external ear canal and ear

thus causing swollen + narrowed EAM

66
Q

What can predispose to otitis externa?

A

Eczema

local trauma

commonly otitis media (this should be checked for once you can see down the ear canal)

67
Q

What are the signs/symptoms of otitis externa?

A

Swollen ear + canal (thus causes conductive hearing loss) this can extend to the face

Tender ear + canal

Itchy ear + canal

otorrhoea

Cracking/crusting skin (can allow fungus to enter)

if chronic skin maybe thickened or fissured

Permanently moist

68
Q

What is the treatment for otitis externa?

A

aural toilet (dry mopping or suction)

antibiotic (sytemic if severe) and/or steroid ear drops

antifungals (if indicated)

glycerine (to withdraw moisture from the ear)

69
Q

Is swimming with grommets harmful?

A

No

70
Q

How long does it take for the ear drum to heal after rupture after due to ASOM?

A

4-5 days

71
Q

What is commonly misdiagnosed as ASOM?

A

Viral acute otitis media

72
Q

What is a retraction pocket?

A

An indrawing of the tympanic membrane and is self cleansing (when not self cleansing = cholestiatoma)

73
Q

What is the treatment of retraction pockets?

A

Just ENT follow-up

74
Q

What is typanosclerosis and what are the symptoms?

A

Scaring of the tympanic membrane

can have no symptoms or

total obliteration of the middle ear - 50db conductive hearing loss

75
Q

What is a “safe” ear infection?

A

There is no such thing, all are potentially dangerous

76
Q

What should be done with asymptomatic perforations?

A

Nothing, just leave alone

77
Q

Will fractured or disrupted ossicles repair themselves?

A

No

78
Q

What should be done with intracranial sepsis of unknown cause?

A

ENT Hx and Ex

79
Q

What are the classic ENT presentations of intracranial sepsis?

A

Ear sepsis or sinusitis

who develop headache, malaise and loss of concentration

80
Q

What is the issue regarding unilateral presbycusis?

A

It doesn’t really occur so this acoustic neuroma

81
Q

What is an acoustic neuroma?

A

Benign tumour of the auditory nerve.

82
Q

What are the early signs of acoustic neuroma?

A

Hearing loss or

tinnitus

83
Q

Who should always be screened for acoustic neuroma?

A

Patients with unilateral or asymmetrical

sensorineural hearing loss

84
Q

What should you do with patients who have had sudden sensorineural hearing loss?

A

Urgent ENT referral (its a medical emergancy)

85
Q

How can non-organic hearing loss be diagnosed?

A

Electric response audiometry

86
Q

What should you suspect if a pt has a discharging ear and a VII nerve palsy?

A

Medical emergency - suspect cholestiatoma

87
Q

What are the frequencies of the different types of temporal bone fracture and which has a worse prognosis?

A

Longitudinal (80%)

Transverse (20%) - worse prognosis

88
Q

What are the three types of otitis externa?

A

diffuse

furuncle

malignant

89
Q

What is diffuse otitis externa?

A

Normal generalised otitis externa

90
Q

What must you suspect if there is otitis externa with mucus?

A

THIS MUST BE COMING FROM THE MIDDLE EAR via a perforation

as there are not mucus secreting glands in the ear canal

91
Q

What is furuncle otitis externa?

A

Infection of the hair follicles in the outer 1/3 of the ear canal by staphylococcus, usually after a hair has been plucked

92
Q

What is malignant otitis externa?

A

Agressive otitis externa NOT CANCEROUS

due to pseudomonas aeruginosa

93
Q

Who is malignant otitis externa most commo in?

A

Immunocompromised

Diabetics

94
Q

What is the most common cause of acute otitis media?

A

50% viral

The rest are bacterial causes

95
Q

What is a common complication of AOM?

A

acute mastoiditis

96
Q

What is the dangerous with acute mastoiditis?

A

The bacterial in the purulent fluid in the mastoid air cells start to erode surrounding bone

97
Q

What is a worrying sign associated with acute mastoiditis?

A

unilateral headache as it is a sign of intracranial complications

98
Q

When can the need for a nasal fracture be properly assessed?

A

Immediately after or 5-10 days later once the inflammation has reduced