Chapter 28 Face and Neck Injuries Terms

Air embolism:

The pressure of air in the veins, which can lead to cardiac arrest if it enters the heart

Anisocoria

Naturally occurring uneven pupils size

Blow-out fracture

A fracture of the orbit or of the bones that support the floor of the orbit

Conjunctiva

The delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the exposed surface of the eye

Conjunctivitis

Inflammation of the conjunctiva

Cornea

The transparent tissue layer in front of the pupil and iris of the eye

Eustachian tube

A tube that connects the middle ear to the oropharynx

External auditory canal

The ear canal; leads to the tympanic membrane

Globe

The eyeball

Iris

The muscle and surrounding tissue behind the cornea that dilate and constrict the pupil, regulating the amount of light that enters the eye, pigment in this tissue gives the eye its color

Lacrimal glands

The glands that produce fluids to keep the eye moist; also called tear glands

Lens

The transparent part of the eye through which images are focused on the retina

Mastoid process

The prominent bony mass at the base of the skull about 1 inch (2.5 cm) posterior to the external opening of the ear

Optic nerve

A cranial nerve that transmits visual information to the brain

Pinna

The external, visible part of the ear

Pupil

The circular opening in the middle of the iris that admits light to the back of the eye

Retina

The light-sensitive area of the eye where images are projected; a layer of cells at the back of the eye that changes the light image into electric impulses, which are carried by the optic nerve to the brain

Retinal detachment

Separation of the retina from its attachments at the back of the eye

Sclera

The tough, fibrous, white portion of the eye that protects the more delicate inner structures

Sternocleidomastoid muscle

The muscles on either side of the neck that allow movement of the head

Subcutaneous emphysema

A characteristic crackling sensation felt on palpation of the skin, caused by the presence of the air in soft tissue

Temporomandibular joint

The joint formed where the mandible and cranium meet, just in front of the ear

Tragus

The small, rounded, fleshy bulge that lies immediately anterior to the ear canal

Turbinates

Layers of bones within the nasal cavity

Tympanic membrane

The eardrum; a thin, semitransparent membrane in the middle ear that transmits sound vibrations to the internal ear by means of auditory ossicles