An otoscope or auriscope is a medical device used to look in the ear. Healthcare providers use otoscopes to screen diseases during routine examinations and also to investigate ear symptoms. An otoscope has the potential to provide a view of the ear canal and the tympanic membrane or the eardrum. Since the eardrum is the border that separates the external ear canal from the middle ear, its characteristics may be indicative of various diseases of the middle ear. The presence of cerumen (ear wax), peeling skin, pus, canal skin edema, foreign objects, and various ear diseases can obscure the view of the eardrum and thus greatly compromises the otoscopy value performed by a common otoscope.
The most commonly used otoscopes consist of the handle and the head. The head contains a light source and a simple low-power magnifying lens, usually about 8 diopters (3.00x Mag). The front end (front) otoscope has an attachment for disposable plastic ear specula. The first examiner straightens the ear canal by pulling the pinna and then inserting the sides of the ear speculum from the otoscope to the outer ear. It is important to hold the hand holding the otoscope against the patient's head to avoid injury to the ear canal by placing the index finger or the little finger on the head. The examiner can then look through the lens at the back of the instrument and look into the ear canal. In many models, the lens can be removed, allowing the examiner to insert the instrument through the otoscope into the ear canal, such as to remove earwax (cerumen). Most models also have an insertion point for a light bulb that is capable of pushing the air through a speculum called pneumatic otoscope. This air permeate allows the examiner to test the mobility of the tympanic membrane.
Many otoscopes are used in the doctor's office installed on the wall while others are portable. The walls of otoscopes are fitted by a flexible electrical cable to the base, which serves to hold the otoscope when not in use and also serves as a source of electrical power, plugged into an electrical outlet. Portable models powered by batteries in handles; This battery is usually rechargeable and can be recharged from the base unit. Otoscopy is often sold with ophthalmoscopes as a diagnostic device.
Diseases that can be diagnosed by an otoscope include otitis media and otitis externa, infection of the middle and outer ear, respectively.
Otoscopy is also often used to check the patient's nose (avoiding the need for a separate nasal spekulum) and (with the speculum removed) upper throat.
The most commonly used otoscopes - used in emergency rooms, pediatric offices, general practice, and by internists - are monocular devices. They only provide a two-dimensional view of the ear canal, its contents, and usually at least part of the eardrum, depending on what is inside the ear canal and its status. Another method of otoscopy is the use of a binocular microscope, along with a larger metal ear speculum, with the supine patient and the inclined head, which gives a much larger field of view and the added advantage of a stable head, superior illumination, and most importantly, depth perception. Binocular (two-edged) view is required to assess depth. If wax or other materials block the ducts and/or views of the entire eardrum, it can be easily and confidently removed with special suction tips and other microscopic ear instruments, whereas the absence of depth perception with one eye eye of a common otoscope makes the appointment anything more difficult and dangerous. Another major advantage of a binocular microscope is that both examiner hands are free, because the microscope is hung from a stand. The microscope has a power enlargement of up to 40x, allowing more view of the entire ear canal, and the entire eardrum except for channel skin edema prevents it. Subtle changes in anatomy are much more easily detected and interpreted than with eye-view otoscope. Traditionally only ENT specialists (otolaryngologists) and otologists (subspecialized ear doctors) have obtained binocular microscopy and the skills and training required to use them, and incorporate their routine use in evaluating ear complaints of patients. Studies have shown that the dependence on the eyeball-edged otoscope to diagnose ear diseases results in more than 50% chance of misdiagnosis, compared with binocular microscopic otoscopy. The cost of obtaining a binocular microscope is just one constraint to be more adapted to general medicine. The low level of familiarity with binocular otoscopy among GPs and GPs in a doctor's training program may be a more difficult obstacle to overcome. Thus, standard otologic diagnosis is common and ear care remains, for the most part, a very ancient eyedrops.
Video Otoscope
See also
- Intraoral camera
Maps Otoscope
External links
- An article detailing the use of otoscopes from one of the first editions of BMJ Students available online published in July 1995.
- The archive version of this similar page from wisc.edu contains images.
- This archived page from indstate.edu provides another picture with the image.
- Phisick Images and information on antique otoscopes
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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