Define cholesteatoma.
An epidermoid cyst within the middle ear
Define myringotomy.
Making a hole in a membrane, like the tympanic membrane
Define neuropraxia.
Injury to a peripheral nerve
How is the structure of the ear all connected?
What are the causes and site of autoimmune ear diseases?
Allergic skin disease
Discoid lupus erythematosus
Pemphigus
External ear canal, pinna
What are the primary anatomical causes of ear diseases?
Congenital ear canal stenosis
Pendulous ears
Hair ear canals
What are the secondary anatomical causes of ear diseases?
Secondary ear canal stenosis
Cauliflower ear
Other traumatic deformity
What are the sites of anatomical ear diseases?
Pinna – post injury. Puncture/laceration/aural haematoma
External ear canal – commonly secondary changes due to scarring with chronic otitis externa, which is usually due to underlying allergic skin disease
What are the neoplastic causes of ear disease?
Benign – ceruminous gland adenomas, papillomas, inflammatory polyps
Malignant – squamous cell carcinoma, ceruminous gland adenocarcinoma
What are the sites of neoplasia causing ear disease?
Pinna, external ear canal, middle ear, inner ear, para-aural
What are the infectious causes of ear disease?
Bacterial – staphylococcus, streptococcus, pseudomonas
Parasitic – mites (otodectes, demodex, sarcoptes, harvest mites)
Fungal – Malassezia, ringworm
What are the causes and sites of inflammatory ear disease?
Cholesteatoma
Foreign bodies
Inflammatory polyps
Solar dermatitis
Viral (distemper)
Pinna, external ear canal, middle ear, inner ear, para-aural
What are the causes and sites of traumatic ear disease?
Self-inflicted secondary to pruritic
Surgical
Accident
Fighting
Pinna, external ear canal
What is ear canal avulsion and what is the consequence of this?
Separation between the auricular and annular cartilage or at the level of the external acoustic meatus. Fluid, cerumen and debris will accumulate in the proximal portion of the ear canal. Likely to become infected causing a para-aural abscess.
Where are inflammatory polyps found?
Auditory tube, external ear canal, middle ear, nasopharynx
What are the possible causes of aural haematomas?
Trauma
Immune-mediated or coagulopathy
What are the clinical signs of aural haematomas?
Head shaking
Ear scratching
With/without underlying dermatopathy
With/without trauma
Pain
Swollen pinna
Reason for pruritus
What factors may determine whether an aural haematoma is medically or surgically treated?
How are aural haematomas surgically treated?
Where is a lateral wall resection done?
Disease isolated to vertical ear canal’s lateral wall
How is a lateral wall resection done?
Where is a vertical ear canal ablation done?
Disease isolated to vertical ear canal. Taking both lateral and medial wall of the ear canal and leaving the horizontal behind.
How is a vertical ear canal ablation done?
Where is a total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy done?
Taking horizontal and vertical ear canals and taking lateral wall of the bulla