Sunday, April 21, 2019

Clinic @10

OTOSCOPIC SIEGELIZATION
As discussed in the previous post,most of the Otoscopes nowadays have a Siegel's attachment

USES of  Siegelization
(A) DIAGNOSTIC
1) Magnification..2X
2) To assess the Mobility of the TM
3) To perform FISTULA TEST

(B) THERAPEUTIC
1) To perform aural toilet
2) To insufflate medication..usually Antibiotic powder
3) To break the synechiae between TM and Promontory in the early stages.

Clinic @9

EAR EXAMINATION WITH AN OTOSCOPE
When examining with an Otoscope, one may note
1) The Otoscope should be held like a pen.
2) The Otoscope should be held in the hand which side the ear is to be examined i.e. RIGHT for RIGHT and LEFT for LEFT.
3) While examining, the Ring finger and the Little finger of the hand holding the scope should rest on the cheek of the patient to ensure that there is NO inadvertent trauma ( to the Ear).
4) The other hand pulls the pinna to ensure straightening of the pinna.
ADVANTAGE/S
1)Self contained source of illumination..
2) Magnification ..2X (some newer models have more.
3) Facility for Siegeization.
DISADVANTAGE/S
1)Runs on dry battery cells..hence illumination over a period of time will decrease.
2) Uniocular vision....hence compromise of DEPTH OF FIELD.


Clinic @8

EAR EXAMINATION WITH SPECULUM

When one examines WITH a speculum,it may  be noted 
1) One should use the largest possible speculum so that the TM may be seen in one single position.
2) The speculum should be introduced in a gentle screwing movement so that there is NO VASOVAGAL STIMULATION...

Clinic @7



It may be noted 
1) The use of right hand here to pull the pinna is WRONG...it could have potentially obstructed the path of light.
2) The direction in which the pinna is pulled.....UPWARD,OUTWARD and BACKWARD ensures that the EAC is straightened for satisfactory examination of the TM. 

Clinic @6


Certain pertinent points to discuss taking benefit of  the above image 
1) The OPD setup ( Bull's Eye Lamp and Head Mirror)should be such that the source of illumination (the Bull's Eye Lamp here) and the reflector (the head mirror here) should be close to each other.......so with a RIGHT HANDED examiner, the mirror should be on the right eye of the examiner...for subtle adjustment/s of the mirror can be made with the dominant hand and accordingly the Bull's lamp should also be on the right side of the EXAMINER....behind the LEFT shoulder of the patient....one needs to remember here that the orientation of the patient and the examiner are opposite i.e. the EXAMINER'S RIGHT is the PATIENT'S LEFT and vice versa.. 
2) Initially, the examiner should make a honest and fervent attempt to examine WITHOUT instrument/s and WITHOUT magnification..
3) While performing examination, care has to be taken that the examiners' hand/s or intrument/s SHOULD NOT obstruct the path of illumination and vision. 

P.S. Admit this post is too verbose....henceforth will try to be brief .

Clinic @5

EXAMINATION...
How?

Conventional OPD Examination setup encompasses 
1) Bull's Eye Lamp
2) Head Mirror
This setup ensures 
a) CONSISTENT and CONCENTRATED illumination.
b) BINOCULAR vision.

Binocular vision is EXTREMELY MANDATORY for perception of DEPTH OF FIELD, the significance of which can't be underestimated after per viewing the following images...



Clinic @4

HISTORY TAKING..
Why..???
1) To come to a diagnosis...e.g. CSOM safe/unsafe
2) To know the etiology...e.g. Tonsilloadenoiditis Rhinosinusitis...as a cause for CSOM
3) To ascertain the severity of the condition...e.g. Mild/Moderate/Severe hearing loss...conductive/sensorineural
4) To identify any ( Impending) complication/s...e.g. Facial palsy, Gradenigo's Syndrome,Otogenic Meningitis
5) To know any co morbidities...e.g. DM, HT,IHD.

LEADING QUESTION.. a question which is framed in such a manner the answer to can be ONLY YES or NO...

Clinic @3

HISTORY TAKING...
The time alloted for history taking and examination for a long case in the MUHS University is 30 minutes.
It is expected of the candidate to present the history in a definite sequence...
1) Particulars of the Patient
2) Chief Complaint/s...to be ENUMERATED in the patients words verbatim in CHRONOLOGICAL order.
3) Onset,duration and progress
4) Past history
5) Personal history
6) Family history
7) \Drug history
8) H/o Allergy
9) Immunization history
10) History of Surgery in the past
11) GENERAL EXAMINATION
12) Local Examination..
       Ears
       Nose
       Throat
       Neck
13) Tuning Fork Tests...for ear case.


Would like to humbly urge all as I have often quoted to follow the example of this marvelous feat of human engineering...THE PYRAMID...let the base of my history taking be so exhaustive that the pinnacle of my diagnosis will NEVER topple over....

Clinic @ 2

Dear All,
THE MARKING SYSTEM..
1) Long case...20 marks
2) Short case...10 marks
3) Table...Viva Voce...10 marks
                 Instruments...03
                 Specimen...03
                 X Rays...02
                 Audiograms...02

LONG CASE..
Usually it is a Ear Case.. a case of CSOM safe
History taking..05 marks.
Examination..05 marks.
Diagnosis..05 marks.
Treatment..05 marks. (*)      

(*) Treatment basically implies investigations and treatment.

Clinic @1

Dear All,
In pursuance of the clinical case discussion we had the other day, would like to share certain things,


THE UNWRITTEN PROTOCOL...
1) During the final MUHS practical examination, be appropriately dressed for the occasion.
2) After entering the examination hall, wish the examiner/s .
3) Be seated ONLY after being asked to do so.
4) AVOID use of short forms (acronyms) e.g. CSOM, ESR etc.
5) When the candidate is asked to explain any examination e.g. indirect laryngoscopy or any test e.g. tuning fork test, it is appropriate to preface the answer by saying " I WILL EXPLAIN THE PROCEDURE/TEST TO THE PATIENT IN A LANGUAGE WHICH HE OR SHE UNDERSTANDS".....creates a good impression on the examiner..

Monday, January 7, 2019

TUNING FORK TESTS

Tuning fork tests are an integral part of ear examination which help us assess the FUNCTION of the ear....HEARING.
There are many Tuning fork tests but the commonly performed are 3
1) Rinne's Test
2) Weber's Test
3) Absolute Bone Conduction Test
The tests essentially tell us whether the hearing loss is....
a) CONDUCTIVE...the pathology is in the EXTERNAL EAR +/- MIDDLE EAR.....Treatment is Medical +/- Surgical.
b) SENSORI NEURAL...the pathology is in the INNER EAR or beyond....Providing a commensurate hearing aid is the only treatment.
c) MIXED
So the competence to perform these tests properly is mandatory .
The tests need to be discussed under the following headings
Principle
Procedure
Observstion/s
Inference
Exception/s 

RINNE'S TEST
ABSOLUTE BONE CONDUCTION TEST