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Week 5 The recurrence of Otitis Media is the most likely cause of the patient’s signs and symptoms. The insertion of the myringotomy tubes is a common intervention used to alleviate the symptoms of Otitis Media in infants and young children aged below five years. However, the condition can also occur sporadically in adolescents and adults. JS might have contracted the infection from his schoolmates. The main purpose of the myringotomy tubes it to prevent the buildup of pressure in the middle ear due to the buildup of excessive fluids because of ear infections (Zerwekh, 2015). However, the tubes may stop functioning properly as the child ages causing a recurrence of the clinical condition. Children have shorter, wider and straighter Eustachian tube in comparison to adults.
Several findings will be present in the patient’s HPI. These findings include fever, hearing problems, a sensation of ear congestion, an inflamed tympanic membrane (TM), intermittent drainage and fatigue. The other findings will include prior treatment for the presenting symptoms, history of allergies and reflux, history of recurring ear infections as a child and a recent onset of a cold-like illness (Fletcher, 2013). A physical assessment of the patient will reveal several results. First, the tympanic membrane will have distorted landmarks, which signify repeated ear infections. A normal tympanic membrane should not show signs of scarring or white patches. Secondly, the patient will have a retracted eardrum. A normal eardrum should be nearly flat. Thirdly, the tympanic membrane will have a yellow or bright red color. An inflammation causes the TM to have the bright red appearance while pus or serum causes the TM to appear yellowish (Jarvis, 2015). The color of a normal eardrum is pearl/gray. Fourthly, the patient’s tympanic membrane will have impaired mobility.
References
Fletcher, A. M. (2013). Comprehensive otolaryngology review: a case-based approach. San
Diego, CA: Plural Publishing, Inc.
Jarvis, C. (2015). Pocket companion for physical examination & health assessment. St. Louis,
MO: Elsevier.
Zerwekh, J. G. (2015). Illustrated study guide for the NCLEX-RN exam. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
