Spare Parts
Otoscope is an instrument that is used to examine the external ear, the ear drum and through the ear drum the ossicles of the middle ear. This mainly consists of a magnifying lens and a device for insufflation.
The Otoscope or auriscope is nothing but a medical device that is used to look into the ears. Health care people make use of otoscopes to screen for illness during regular checkups that helps to investigate any symptom found in the ear. With the help of an otoscope one can examine the outer ear and the middle ear.
Otoscope consists of a head and a handle. The head consist of an electric light source and a low power magnifying lens. The front end of the otoscope usually has an attachment for disposable plastic ear known as the speculums. The examiner would first straighten the ear canal by pulling on the pinna. Then he would insert the ear speculum side of the otoscope into the external ear. The examiner would then look through the lens on the rear of the instrument and see the inside of the ear canal.
Many of the otoscope models come with a detachable sliding rear window that allows the examiner to insert the instrument through the otoscope into the ear canal like removal of the earwax. Most of the models also have an insertion point for a bulb capable of pushing air through the speculum which is called as pneumatic otoscope. The puff of air helps the examiner to test the mobility of the tympanic membrane.
Otoscopes come as wall mounted instruments as well as portable instruments. The portable instruments are called as pocket otoscopes. The wall mounted otoscopes come attached with a flexible power cord attached to the base that serves to hold the otoscope when it is not in use. It also serves as a source of electric power when it is plugged into an electric outlet. The portable otoscope models are powered by batteries in the handle of the otoscope. These batteries are usually rechargeable and they can be recharged from a base unit. These otoscopes are usually sold with ophthalmoscopes as a diagnostic set.
The different types of diseases that can be diagnosed with the help of an otoscope include the otitis media, infection of the middle ear and the oititis externa, the infection of the outer parts of the ear. Otoscopes are mainly used to examine the patients nose and upper throat.