Audiology Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards based on lecture notes covering middle and inner ear anomalies, types of effusion, and prenatal infections causing hearing loss.

Otitis media with effusion

The inflammation of the middle ear mucus membrane and of the tympanic membrane.

Serous

A type of effusion characterized by fluid that is watery, clear, and sterile (not infected).

Mucoid

A type of effusion that is thick, viscous, discolored, and often infected.

Suppurative

A type of effusion containing pus; also referred to as purulent.

Sanguineous

A type of effusion that contains blood.

Acute otitis media

An ear infection with rapid onset that is usually painful, shows redness of the tympanic membrane, and lasts fewer than $3$ weeks.

Subacute otitis media

An ear infection that comes on rapidly and is painful, but lasts longer than acute cases, defined as fewer than $3$ months.

Persistent OME

A condition where a child is asymptomatic and not running a fever after antibiotic treatment, but the effusion remains present.

Chronic otitis media

An ear condition that lasts longer than $3$ months.

Tympanoplasty

A surgery performed to correct a perforation in the tympanic membrane, sometimes using material like cigarette paper or tissue from behind the ear.

Cholesteatoma

A cyst or growth in the middle ear space that can be congenital or acquired due to untreated ear infections; it can be destructive to ossicles and middle ear structures.

Stenotic

A term used to describe an abnormally narrow ear canal.

Otitis externa

Inflammation and infection in the ear canal, commonly known as swimmer's ear.

Mondini defect

An inner ear anomaly where the cochlea has only $1.5$ turns instead of the normal amount.

Hypoplasia

An inner ear deformity where the cochlea has less than one full turn.

EVA (Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct)

A malformation of the temporal bone associated with early onset, bilateral, and typically progressive hearing loss along with vestibular disorders.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

A member of the herpes virus family and the most common fetal viral illness; it is a high-risk cause of progressive sensorineural hearing loss in children.

Congenital Syphilis

A bacterial infection transmitted in utero or during delivery that can cause rapid hearing loss, bilateral deafness, and neurological symptoms.

Hutchinson's triad

A collection of signs, including specific dental deformities (teeth), that are indicative of congenital syphilis.

Maternal Rubella

A viral infection that, if transmitted to a fetus, results in hearing loss in up to $80\%$ of cases, often severe and bilateral.

Toxoplasmosis

A parasitic infection found in fecal matter (such as kitty litter) and undercooked meat that can lead to hydrocephalus, eye deficits, and sensorineural hearing loss.

Rimadyl

A pain medication mentioned in the context of postoperative care for a dog.