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The Special Sense Organs and Their Disorders
Published in Walter F. Stanaszek, Mary J. Stanaszek, Robert J. Holt, Steven Strauss, Understanding Medical Terms, 2020
Walter F. Stanaszek, Mary J. Stanaszek, Robert J. Holt, Steven Strauss
Problems with any of the structures involved in sound transmission from the body surface to the brain may impair hearing. External otitis is an inflammation of the outer ear and may block the progress of sound waves. Impacted cerumen is an accumulation of cerumen or earwax that blocks the ear canal and prevents sound waves from reaching the tympanic membrane. Inflammation of the tympanic membrane is known as myringitis or tympanitis and may prevent the tympanic membrane from vibrating appropriately. Eustachian tube dysfunction is a general term used to describe any condition in which the ability of the eustachian tube to equilibrate ambient and middle ear pressure is impeded.
The Liaison and Collaborative Functions of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
Published in Nancy Khardori, Bench to Bedside, 2018
Needs of clinicians in specialty areas are often overlooked unless open communication precedes specimen acquisition (Mannis and Holland 2016, Ho et al. 2010). In an ophthalmology practice, care needs to be taken in specimen acquisition since soft tipped cotton applicators may be inferior to calcium alginate swabs that have been reported to produce a higher yield of bacterial organisms (Mannis and Holland 2016). Most microbiology laboratories will not routinely stock media for an infrequent pathogen such as acanthamoeba. By discussing this with the laboratory before specimen acquisition, the laboratory can acquire the appropriate media and therefore successfully identify this organism. If this communication does not take place then the specimen may be rejected or the pathogen may be sub optimally isolated because of a delay in plating. The otolaryngologist frequently submits culture swabs from the external ear canal in order to isolate a pathogen and obtain guidance on antibiotic selections. Many microbiologists are not aware that the preferred method of treatment for external otitis is with topical agents. Most of the antibiotics listed on typical antibiograms are systemic (oral or IV) antibiotics which will be of little use to the physician in treatment selections (Ho et al. 2010). Discussion with the microbiologists before specimen submission could possibly ameliorate this disconnected system.
Infections in Older Adults with Diabetes
Published in Medha N. Munshi, Lewis A. Lipsitz, Geriatric Diabetes, 2007
Invasion of local tissues results in an external otitis, which presents with pain (75–100%), purulent drainage (50–80%), and swelling of the ear canal. Spread down the crypts of Santorini leads to a painful swollen mastoid process and compresses the seventh nerve as it leaves the styloid foramen resulting in a Bell’s palsy (33%). Travel between the cartilaginous and bony ear to the base of the skull leads to swelling and compression of cranial nerves IX–XII with impairment of the tongue and gag reflexes (25%). Osteomyelitis of the temporal bone and the base of the skull, meningitis, and death may ensue in 20% of patients (2–4,28).
Hearing and balance complaints as presenting symptoms of petrous bone malignancies
Published in Hearing, Balance and Communication, 2020
Giulia Tealdo, Elisabetta Zanoletti
SCC is the most frequent malignant tumour of the external ear, accounting for less than 0.2% of head and neck tumours. It is often mis-diagnosed as external otitis, with discharging external ear sometimes associated to acute middle ear effusion. The clinically undetectable diffusion of the tumour in the mastoid may erode the labyrinth, spreading through the otic capsule and surrounding areas. Sensorineural hearing loss and dizziness are often the only presenting symptoms, without any typical or specific pattern of vestibular/audiologic disease. Otorrea, pain and facial nerve palsy are the typical picture suspect of malignancy. The otologic/audiologic presenting symptoms are not recognized, mis-diagnosed and not further investigated as it would be required.
Otic drug delivery systems: formulation principles and recent developments
Published in Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2018
Xu Liu, Mingshuang Li, Hugh Smyth, Feng Zhang
Oral drug delivery is commonly used to treat middle ear and inner ear disorders due to its convenience and easier compliance by patients [15,16]. The bioavailability of oral delivery is limited compared to local drug delivery, but it has wide appeal for many patients. Oral antibiotics are commonly prescribed for treating acute external otitis and otitis media [96]. However, the disadvantages of oral antibiotics include the possibility of multidrug resistance and imbalance of intestinal flora. Oral steroids, antioxidants, and neuroprotective agents are commonly used to treat sudden sensorineural hearing loss to improve hearing [26,97].
Facial nerve paralysis in malignant otitis externa: comparison of the clinical and paraclinical findings
Published in Acta Oto-Laryngologica, 2020
Sasan Dabiri, Narges Karrabi, Nasrin Yazdani, Ahmad Rahimian, Azita Kheiltash, Mehrdad Hasibi, Elham Saedi
Yehesheli and the colleagues evaluated 23 patients with necrotizing external otitis retrospectively [19]. Six patients in their evaluation had facial nerve dysfunction. They mentioned that the TMJ involvement was associated with better prognosis as recurrence rate and mortality, but the correlation between the TMJ disease and the status of the facial nerve has not been pointed. The analysis in our study did not show a significant relationship between this finding in imaging and facial nerve involvement (p = .17).