This document discusses several middle ear disorders including otitis media, mastoiditis, cholesteatoma, Bell's palsy, and otosclerosis. It describes the anatomy and development of the middle ear, how changes in mass and stiffness affect resonance, and symptoms, interventions, and audiometric results for each disorder.
2. Outline
Anatomy – ME
Development
Changes due to Mass/Stiffness
Disorders
Otitis Media
Mastoiditis
Cholesteatoma
Otosclerosis
3.
4. Embryonic Development of ME
1st month: formation of ossicles starts
6 weeks: oval window formed
3rd month: ossicles fully developed but still
cartilaginous tissue
5-6 months: ossification of ossicles
7. MASS vs STIFFNESS
Mass –
Changes in Mass occur with ME
Stiffness
Changes in Stiffness occur with ME
8. MASS vs STIFFNESS
When you increase stiffness of ME, you
decrease the low frequencies on audio
This results in a slight increase in the
resonant frequency of the ear
9. MASS vs STIFFNESS
When you increase Mass of ME, you will see
a decrease the high frequencies
This results in a slight lowering of the
resonant frequency of the ear
10. Otitis Media
70% of children under age 3 have at least 1 episode
(Winskel, 2008)
50% of children will have 1st infection before age
1(ASHA, 2004) and 9/10 before age 5.
35 % of these will have recurring OM (ASHA, 2004)
Most common cause of HL in children under age 3,
which occurs while developing language
OM and language development
OM and academic ability
OM and literacy
11. Impact of OME
NOT a relationship between OME and cognitive
function (Roberts et al, 1995)
Presence of fluid/infection causes ____________ HL
Fluid may take ___________________to resolve
Hearing loss may continue to be present after
________________
12. Otitis Media
Acute Otitis Media: fluid in the middle ear
with signs of infection (bulging eardrum, ear
pain, drainage, perforation)
Otitis Media with effusion: fluid in the middle
ear without signs of infection (sometimes
called serous effusion)
13. OM Sequence
Organisms access ME via Eustachian Tube
(ET)
ET becomes swollen and blocked
ME pressure drops (vacuum results)
Infection spreads to mucous lining of ME
space
Tympanic Membrane retracted
14. OM Sequence (cont.)
Fluid accumulates in the ME space
Bulging observed
Fluid becomes infected
Rupture of TM or Bleeding possible
21. Interventions
Politzerization blowing air with a special
syringe into one nostril while blocking the
other, and at the same time swallowing.
Force air into the ET and the ME
“Ear-Popper”
The Valsalva maneuver: forcibly blowing air
into the middle ear while holding the nose.
Should not be done if there is a cold and
nasal discharge.
23. Cholesteatoma
Non malignant tumor in ME space
Condition where skin has entered the ME space
Small sac like tumor made up of proteins, fats and
tissue
As it grows – damage the bones in the ME
26. Etiology/Symptoms
Etiology: Perforations: skin enters ME
Retraction of TM
Symptoms: HL, drainage with foul odor, ear
pressure, dizziness, facial weakness
Left untreated - can spread to inner ear or
brain
27. Audiometric Results with Cholesteatoma
Degree:
Type:
Tympanogram:
Reflexes:
OAE:
ABR: IWI
Lowest level of wave V
Overall latencies of wave V
29. Bell’s Palsy
Incidence of 13-18 per 100,000
Family tendency for onset
Damage to the facial nerve
Unilateral facial paralysis
Etiology: from viral or bacterial infection,
tumor, swelling, injury
30. Facial Nerve – VII Cranial Nerve
Innervates 7000 nerve
fibers
Crosses the wall of the
middle ear space
Carries impulses also to
tongue, saliva glands,
tear glands, stapes
31. Symptoms
Twitching, weakness, tearing, numbness on
one side
Changes in taste – Chorda tympani nerve-
branch of the facial nerve
Not a disease
Rarely causes HL alone
Differentiate from acoustic
neuroma
32. Intervention
ENT: Steroids esp within week after onset
Recovery in 4-6 weeks may take up to 4
months for full recovery
Eye patch at night
Keep eye from drying out
Permanent Facial Nerve paralysis:
surgical interventions
PT- facial retraining
33. Audiometric Results with Bell’s Palsy
Degree:
Type:
Tympanogram:
Reflexes:
OAE:
ABR: IWI
Lowest level of wave V
Overall latencies of wave V
34. Otosclerosis
Abnormal bone growth occurs in the middle
ear around the footplate of the stapes.
prevents ossicular chain from moving
properly
Footplate of stapes becomes “fixed” at the
oval window
35. Otosclerosis
Progressive
More common in adults, rare in children
Higher prevalence in females: adolescence
through middle age (2:1)
Genetic
Hereditary: Accounts for 70 % of cases
Autosomal Dominant
25% chance if one parent carrier
50% chance if both parents carriers
36. Symptoms
Gradual HL: initial onset after puberty
Increased HL after pregnancies
Tinnitus
Dizziness
Paracusis Willisi
38. Medical Interventions
Sodium Fluoride Treatment – reduces bone
absorption and enhances calcium development of
bones
Stapedectomy: removal of stapes and replacement
with prosthesis (Shea, 1957)
BAHA implantable device
39. Audiometric Results with Otosclerosis
Degree:
Type:
Tympanogram:
Reflexes:
OAE:
ABR: IWI
Lowest level of wave V
Overall latencies of wave V