Glossary
Glossary
Terms that come up in consultations, in reports and on the pages of this site. The aim is that you can read your own report; this is not a diagnosis or a treatment recommendation.
Nose and breathing
- Septum
- The partition of cartilage and bone that divides the nose into two halves. A deviated septum is among the most common causes of nasal obstruction.
- Septoplasty
- The operation that straightens a deviated septum. It is not intended to change the external shape of the nose.
- Turbinate (concha)
- The fleshy ridges inside the nose that warm and humidify air. When enlarged they obstruct breathing; treatment reduces them rather than removing them.
- Nasal valve
- The narrowest part of the nose, where most of the resistance to airflow arises. The angle is normally between 10 and 20 degrees.
- Rhinoplasty
- Surgery intended to change the external appearance of the nose.
- Septorhinoplasty
- Straightening the septum and changing the external shape in the same operation.
- Revision rhinoplasty
- A second (or later) operation on a nose that has already been operated on. Scarred tissue makes the planning different.
- Osteotomy
- Controlled division and repositioning of the nasal bone.
- Graft
- A piece of tissue used to support or shape; in nasal surgery it is usually taken from the patient's own cartilage.
- Spreader graft
- Thin cartilage strips placed alongside the nasal dorsum to help keep the valve open.
- Dorsum
- The bridge of the nose. A "dorsal hump" is a prominence along it.
- Columella
- The central pillar between the nostrils, running from the tip down to the upper lip.
- Supratip
- The area just above the nasal tip. Fullness here is described as a "polly beak" appearance.
- Splint / packing
- Support placed inside or outside the nose after surgery. Current practice does not use packing routinely.
Sinuses
- Sinus
- Air-filled cavities within the facial bones, connected to the nose.
- Sinusitis
- Inflammation of the sinuses and nasal lining. Beyond twelve weeks it is called chronic.
- Endoscopy
- Examination of the nose and nasopharynx with a thin, lighted camera. It takes a few minutes in the consulting room.
- Polyp
- Painless, benign tissue formed when the lining swells and prolapses. It can cause obstruction and loss of smell.
- FESS
- Functional endoscopic sinus surgery: camera-guided surgery that opens the natural drainage pathways of the sinuses.
- Mucosa
- The thin, secreting lining that covers the nose and sinuses.
Ear and hearing
- Audiometry
- A hearing test. In a sound-treated booth, the quietest audible sounds are measured at different frequencies through headphones.
- Tympanometry
- A short test that measures middle-ear pressure and whether fluid is present.
- Tinnitus
- Ringing, buzzing or hissing heard without an external sound source.
- Sudden hearing loss
- Hearing loss developing over hours or days, usually in one ear. It needs urgent assessment.
- BPPV
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Head movement triggers intense spinning lasting seconds; treatment is usually a repositioning manoeuvre.
- Vertigo
- The sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning. It is a symptom, not a disease.
Sleep, throat and paediatric ENT
- Polysomnography (sleep study)
- An overnight recording of breathing, oxygen level, heart rhythm and sleep stages.
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
- Repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep, causing short pauses in breathing.
- CPAP
- A device delivering positive airway pressure to keep the airway open during sleep; the standard treatment in moderate and severe apnoea.
- Adenoids
- Lymphoid tissue behind the nose. When enlarged in children it can cause nasal obstruction and middle-ear problems.
- Tonsils
- Lymphoid tissue on both sides of the throat. Removal is considered for recurrent infection or for obstructed breathing in sleep.
- Radiofrequency
- Reduction of tissue with radio-wave energy rather than cutting. Used for enlarged turbinates and some soft-palate procedures.
Frequently asked questions
Can I understand the terms in my report from this page?
Most of them, yes. This glossary explains the terms that appear most often in consultations and reports. A report is still a whole: the meaning of a term and what it means in your case are not the same thing.
Does this replace a diagnosis?
No. The glossary is for information. What a particular finding means for you is established by examination.
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