Otology

What are the conditions treated in Otology?

• Acute Otitis External Auditory Canal Stenosis and Atresia -Acute otitis is a common term used for the infection of the middle ear, i.e. the space that lies behind the eardrum. External Auditory Canal Stenosis or atresia is marked by the build-up of solid tissue in the external ear canal.
• Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease- Autoimmune inner ear disease is an outcome of an uncontrolled immune system response also defined as bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
• Preauricular Sinus - It is a common congenital malformation marked by the presence of small cells adjacent to the external ear, where they shouldn't be.
• Vertigo - Vertigo is more of a symptom rather than a condition. In this, the person feels that the environment around him is spinning.
• Ramsay Hunt Syndrome- Ramsay hunt syndrome happens when the shingles outbreak moves muscles towards the ears. It often leads to facial palsy.
• Ototoxicity - A condition in which the person finds it difficult to balance or hear, it is mainly caused due to some high-dose medical drugs.
• Cholesteatoma - Cholesteatoma is a non-cancerous growth formed behind the ears or developed from the eardrums.
• Acute and Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media - Acute and chronic suppurative otitis media is a condition in which there is a serious ongoing ear infection in the middle ear.
• Otosclerosis: It is an inherent disorder in which the person is unable to amplify the sound they hear, thus leading to difficulty in hearing.

How do we diagnose you?

Various diagnostic tests are used in the field of otology to evaluate and diagnose disorders pertaining to the auditory system and ears. The following are a few typical otology diagnostic tests:

• Audiometry
• Tympanometry
• Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) Testing
• Pure-tone Audiometry
• Speech Audiometry
• Electronystagmography (ENG)
• Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP)
• Computed Tomography (CT) Scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Otoscopy
• Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT)

Treatment:

• Otomicroscopy- Otomicroscopy is the routine examination of the external auditory canal using a surgical microscope.
• Myringoplasty- Myringoplasty is a surgery to repair a hole in the eardrum. Tympanoplasty- It is the surgical process followed to treat the perforated tympanic membrane.
• Ossiculoplasty: It is the repair of the middle ear ossicular chain. The damage could be due to various reasons and it leads to hearing issues.
• Cerumen Removal - Cerumen or ear wax removal is done professionally by use of a rubber syringe with hot and saline water. The same is done for foreign body removal by a professional.
• Mastoid Bowl Cleaning - Mastoid bone cleaning is done by the removal of debris and cleaning of the mastoid cavity to alleviate the risks of recurring infection.
• Myringotomy With Tubes - Myringotomy with a tube is a procedure followed by a professional to insert a tube in the eardrum to let fluid trapped inside move out. The fluid could be blood, pus, etc.
• Intratympanic Injection - Intratympanic injection is a type of steroid injection given to treat cochleovestibular symptoms of inner ear disease.
• Complete Audiological Assessment - This assessment has sets of activities which are designed to understand the functioning of motor and sensory skills, reflexes and functioning of the nerves.