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Book

Otoscope Exam

Nicholas L. Mankowski  1 , Blake S. Raggio  2
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
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Book

Otoscope Exam

Nicholas L. Mankowski et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

Clinicians perform an otoscope exam to assess the condition of the external auditory canal (EAC), tympanic membrane (TM), and the middle ear. Steps of the otoscope exam include inspecting the EAC and the TM with its identifying landmarks as outlined below. A pneumatic attachment is available to apply pressure to assess the mobility (ie, compliance) of the tympanic membrane. Mastering the otoscope exam leads to accurate diagnoses, allowing for targeted treatment and prevention of complications. Early stages of otologic diseases can be present in the absence of complaints such as ear pain, ear fullness, and hearing loss; therefore, the otoscope should be part of all routine exams performed by primary care clinicians and not specific to otolaryngologists.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Nicholas Mankowski declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Blake Raggio declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

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