Question | Answer |
acoustic neuroma | benign tumor that develops from tacoustic nerve & grows in auditory canal |
tumor that initially causes tinnitus, vertigo & progressive hearing loss | acoustic neuroma |
treatment for acoustic neuroma can include | resection by microsurgical techniques or abalated by radiosurgery |
radiosurgery | using powerful & precise x-ray beams insted of surgical incision |
cholesteatoma | collection of epithelial cells, sebum & cholesterol in a cyst within middle ear |
cholesteatoma consists of cyst-like masses which | produce a foul smelling odor |
cholesteatoma is associated with | perforations of tympanic membrane |
deafness | loss of the ability to hear |
sensorineural hearing loss is also called | nerve deafness |
sensorineural hearing loss results from | disease of, or trauma to, structures of inner ear or nerve pathways leading to brain |
conductive deafness results from | impairment of middle ear ossicles & membranes transmitting sound waves to cochlea |
patients with sensorineural & conductive deafness can be helped by | the use of hearing aids |
earing aids | contain microphone to pickup sounds, amplifier to increase volume, & speaker to transmit amplified sounds |
Meniere disease | disorder of vestibular labyrinth; endolymph accumulation in membranous labyrinth |
cochlear hydrops | increased endolymph pressure in cochlea |
vestibular hydrops | increased endolymph pressure in semicircular canals |
tinnitus, sensitivity to loud sounds, progressive hearing loss, nausea, & vertigo are all signs/symptoms of | Meniere disease |
Meniere disease episodes/attacks can last | minutes or hours |
Meniere disease cause is | unknown |
Meniere disease treatments include | tranquilizers, antihistamines, diuretics |
surgery for Meniere disease may be necessary to | surgery to lower endolymph pressure on cochlear hair cells |
otitis media | inflammation of middle ear |
often follows an upper respiratory infection (URI) | acute otitis media |
signs/symptoms of otitis media include | fever, pain, redness & loss of mobility of tympanic membrane |
suppurative otitis media | as the bacteria attach middle ear, pus formation occurs |
treatment for otitis media is | antibiotics |
myringotomy may be required if | otitis media becomes chronic, it will be necessary to ventilate middle ear |
serous otitis media | noninfectious inflammation with accumulation of serous fluid |
results from dysfunctional/obstructed auditory tube | serous otitis media |
for patients who don't respond to medication for SOM & AOM a | myringotomy to aspirate fluid & tympanostomy tubes placed into eardrum to venilate middle ear |
myringotomy | surgical incision of the tympanum to relieve pressure & buildup of fluid |
tympanostomy tube | tube inserted after myringotomy, provides ventilation & drainage for middle ear during healing, & is eventually extruded |
otosclerosis | excess formation of bony tissue in middle ear; particularly at labyrinth |
hereditary condition resulting in bone forming around oval window & causing fixation/anklyosis of stapes bone | otosclerosis |
fixation | condition of being held in a fixed position |
ankylosis | stiffness; immobility and consolidation of joint |
otosclerosis will lead to the inability of stapes | to transmit sound vibrations to inner ear, producing conductive hearing loss |
effective treatment to restore hearing in patients with otosclerosis | stapedectomy with replacement by prothesis |
stapedectomy | surgical removal of the stapes, which is then replaced with a prosthetic device |
prosthetic device used after stapedectomy is made of | stainless steel, Teflon, or a similar substance |
in order to perform a stapedectomy | oval window must be fenestrated |
fenestrate | to pierce with one or more openings |
tinnitus | sensation of noise in ears |
noise sensations associated with tinnitus include | ringing, buzzing, whistling, booming |
caused by irritation of delicate hair cells in inner ear | tinnitus |
tinnitus symptoms may be associated with | prebycusis, Meniere disease, otosclerosis, chronic otitis, labyrinthitis & other disorders |
tinnitus may be | persisten & severe, interfering with a patient's daily life |
treatment for tinnitus includes | biofeedback |
biofeedback for tinnitus can | help patient relax & exert control over stress & anxiety |
tinnitus is a Latin-derived term meaning | tinkling |
vertigo | sensation of irregular whirling motion either of oneself or of external objects; dizziness |
can result from disease in labyrinth of inner ear or in nerve carrying message from semicircular canals to brain | vertigo |
with vertigo symptoms include | affects to equilibrium, balance & possible nausea |
audiometry | process of testing hearing |
audiometer | electrical device instrument used to measure hearing |
stimuli of specific frequencies delivered to determine hearing loss for each frequency | audiometry |
audiogram | report of hearing using audiometer; in chart format |
cochlear implant | surgically implanted device allowing sensorineural hearing-impaired person to understand speech |
electrical signals are sent directly into auditory nerve nerve by multiple electrodes inserted into cochlea | cochlear implant |
cochlear implants also contain | an external microphone & speech processor to pick up signals converting into electrical impulses |
ear thermometry | meaurement of temperature of tympanic membrane by detection of infared radiation from eardrum |
device inserted into auditory canal, results reflecting body temp provided within 2 second | ear thermometry |
otoscopy | visual exam of ear with otoscope |
otoscope | instrument for inspecting the ear |
tuning fork test | test of ear condution using vibration source, tuning fork |
tuning fork | device that produces harmonic vibration when its two prongs are struck |
Rinne test | tuning fork test that compares duration of perception by bone & air conduction |
examiner placed base of tuning fork against mastoid bone & in front of auditory meatus | Rinne test |
Weber test | tuning fork is placed on midline of skull, assesses bone conduction of sound |
tuning fork placed on center of forehead; if loudness of sound same in both ears hearing is normal | Weber test |
electronystagmography | test of balance mechanism of inner ear by assessing eye movements |
nystagmus | rapidly twitching eye movement |
electronystagmograph | instrument used in electronystagmography |
PE Tube | polyethylene ventilating tube placed in eardrum |
hyperacusis | excessive sensitivity to sounds |
macrotia | abnormally large ears |
mastoiditis | inflammation & infection of mastoid process just behind ear |
microtia | abnormally small ears |
myringitis | inflammation of eardrum |
ossiculoplasty | surgical repair of an ossicle of middle ear |
otolaryngologist | specialist/surgeon in ear, nose & throat disorders |
otomycosis | fungal infection of the ear |
otopyorrhea | discharge of pur from ear |
presbycusis | progressive loss of hearing, occurring in middle/older age |
tympanoplasty | surgical repair of eardrum |
usually thought of as a common childhood disease associated with colds, sore throats, and blockage of the eustachian tube | AOM acute otitis media |
this causes the middle ear to be prone to infection | structure of eustachian tube and its connection to nasopharynx |
characterized by a sense of fullness in the ear, diminished hearing, pain, and fever | acute otitis media |
types of fluids that can accumulate in middle ear | serous, purulent, or mucoid |
caused of improper fluid drainage include | Obstruction or dysfunction of eustachian tube & enlarged lymphoid tissue in nasopharynx |
Antibiotic therapy is used to treat | acute and chronic otitis media |
complication of chronic otitis media | cholesteatoma |
Surgical removal of the cholesteatoma is required to prevent | damage to the structures of the middle ear |
damages from cholesteatoma are related to | the enzymes it produces |
the bony tissue, from otosclerosis, attaches to & prevents movement of | the stapes |
Conductive hearing loss can be caused by | accumulation of cerumen in auditory canal, presence of foreign body in ear, & diseases of middle ear |
pneumatic attachment to the otoscope allows | evaluation of the eardrum's mobility |
hearing acuity | capacity to perceive sound |
device now available for use by those with profound hearing loss | cochlear implant |
cochlear implant bypasses | the damaged cochlea |
salpingoscope | device used to examine eustachian tube |
otodynia | pain in the ear |