Otoscope
An otoscope is an instrument normally designed to allow a physician to peer inside an ear or into a nose through a lighted pathway and to allow directing wash liquid inside an ear or nose through an insufflation port. An otoscope permits a medical professional to inspect a patient's eardrum and ear canal as well as the nasal passages. An otoscope generally facilitates a physician's examination of a patient's external ear canal and ear drum. Typically, known otoscopes are used for examination purposes. Otoscopy is a procedure performed by medical practitioners in which the ear canal and tympanic membrane (eardrum) are examined in order to ascertain their physical condition and to remove cerumen (ear wax) and foreign objects from the ear canal, as well as to perform tympanocentesis (removal of fluid from the middle ear through the tympanic membrane). Otoscopes are available in a wide variety of forms. There are primarily two types of otoscopes used which represent approximately eighty percent of all otoscopes. The first type is a diagnostic or notch style otoscope, and the second type is a pneumatic or friction style otoscope. The significant difference between the two types of otoscopes is the manner in which the disposable tip is attached to the head of the otoscope. A standard otoscope includes a handle, a shaft and a head. The shaft extends from the handle, and the head is secured on top of the shaft. The handle is generally made of stainless steel, while the head and shaft may be made from either stainless steel or formed hard plastic. The head of a standard otoscope includes a magnifying lens and a light to enlarge and illuminate a targeted area for examination. The head may also include a port which is connected to an inner lumen having an outlet within an annular opening that is across a front of the otoscope head. A disposable tip having a conical shape is attached across the annular opening at the front of the head of the otoscope to direct the field of view onto the small targeted area. Otoscopes have a power source, either batteries, or 110 volts down converted from the wall outlet. Most are battery powered. They include a light bulb, usually halogen or xenon. The light is channeled down a speculum that is placed on the scope to look into the ear canal via either a reflective mirror, or fiber optics. The viewer looks down the lighted ear canal through a magnified lens.
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