Ear trauma can occur from a variety of causes including loud noises, explosions, burns, and physical impacts. External ear trauma commonly results in bruising or lacerations to the auricle or pinna. Impacts can deform the ear over time into a "cauliflower" shape if not treated. Foreign objects in the ear should be removed carefully to avoid further injury. Thermal burns produce swelling and pain. Changes in pressure like from diving can rupture blood vessels in the middle ear. Head injuries sometimes fracture the skull and temporal bone, risking damage to the middle ear structures, hearing loss, and facial nerve involvement.

1. Ear trauma
By
Res. Dr. / Mona Yehia Mostafa

2. Ear trauma is a common problem in
emergency medicine and may occur
as an outcome of a number of
mechanisms, including exposure to
loud noises
Blast injuries,
chemical exposures,
thermal injuries,
and penetrating or blunt traumas

3. WHAT ABOUT EXTERNAL
EAR
TRAUMA?

4. •The auricle is very vulnerable to both
blunt and sharp trauma. The most
common complication from blunt
trauma to the ear is the formation of
auricularhematoma . Failure to
recognise and treat this condition
early usually leads to an ugly
deformity
•of the pinna known as a “cauliflower”
ear.
•

5. •Sharp trauma causes lacerations to the
pinna’s cartilaginous framework. requires
minimal debridement and suturing of the
perichondrium and skin in alignment with the
remaining natural landmarks . The blood
supply in this area is excellent, primary
closure is usually successful

6. •The most common trauma to the ear in
children is caused by foreign body (FB)
impaction and from unsuccessful
attempts at removal.
•Types of Soft or round FBs may be
removed by gently inserting an ear
curette or hook and rolling it outward
•sharp or irregular FBs, grasping and
removing them with fine
•alligator forceps remains the best
treatment
•For the correct syringing of impacted wax

7. •Exposure to extreme outer temperature
produce degrees of thermal injury. First
degree burns and frostbites characterised
by redness and swelling, and highly
sensitive to touch.
•Second-degree thermal injury
accompanied by
•blister formation due to extravasated
extracellular
•fluid.
•Extreme hot or cold causes irreversible
damage to the underlying cartilage,

8. WHAT ABOUT MIDDLE
AND INNER EARTRAUMA

9. •Rapid changes of external pressure
(airplane flight, diving, or an explosion)
otic barotrauma may occur. Rupture of
•fine blood vessels in the middle ear
causes a collection Of blood on the inner
surface of the TM or middle ear space,
known as the hemotympanum.
•Prophylaxis of barotrauma during airplane
flight depends on proper eustachian tube
function. This can be provided by
repeatedly performing Valsalva
manoeuvres, the use of topical nasal and

10. •Indirect trauma to the ear due to head
injury, with or without skull fracture, may
cause varying degrees of injury to middle
•ear structures. A TM hemorrhage may
obscure ossicular fractures or disrupt the
ossicular chain .
•Cholesteatoma within the middle ear and
mastoid cavity may occur and are
potentially destructive lesions that can
erode and destroy important structures of
the middle ear, temporal bone, and skull
base.
•Perilymph fistula Head trauma is the

11. •Temporal bone
fractures
•Longitudinal
•80% of Temporal Bone Fractures
•Run anterior to otic capsule
•EAC laceration
•TM perforation
•CHL
•15-20% Facial Nerve
•involvement

12. •Transverse
•20% of Temporal Bone Fractures
•Cross otic capsule
•EAC intact
•Intact TM
•Mixed HL
•Vertigo
•50% Facial Nerve
•Involvement

13. THANK
YOU