Medical Terminology Simplified

11–47 Ot/o/sclerosis is a hereditary condition of unknown cause in which irregu-

lar ossification occurs in the ossicles of the middle ear, especially of the stapes, causing

hearing loss.

Chronic progressive deafness, especially for low tones, may be caused by a hereditary

condition called __________ / _____ / ____________________.

11–48 A patient diagnosed with ot/o/scler/osis may have hearing restored with a

surgical procedure called staped/ectomy.

To improve hearing, especially in cases of ot/o/scler/osis, the surgeon may excise the

stapes using a surgical procedure called

____________________ / ____________________.

11–49 Staped/ectomy involves removal of the stapes and replacement by a pros-

thesis to restore hearing loss.

When the surgeon excises the stapes, the surgery performed is called

____________________ / ____________________.

11–50 The inner ear contains the receptors for two senses: hearing and

equilibrium.

The CFs acous/o, audi/o,and audit/orefer to ____________________.

11–51 The branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders

is known as audi/o/logy. It encompasses rehabilitation of persons with hearing im-

pairments. The specialist in the study of hearing is called an

__________ / _____ / ____________________.

11–52 Ear infections can be diagnosed with an ot/o/scope. Visual examination

of the ear is known as __________ / _____ / ____________________.

11–53 Ot/itis media, infection of the middle ear, usually occurs following upper

respiratory infection (URI). Upon ot/o/scopy, redness and stiffness of the tympanic

membrane is observed, indicating inflammation.

The abbreviation for upper respiratory infection is __________.

11–54 Ot/itis media caused by bacteria is commonly treated with antibiotics.When

the condition persists and becomes chronic, a myring/o/tomy may be required. During

this surgical procedure, a pressure-equalizing (PE) tube is inserted into the eardrum to

relieve pressure and promote drainage. (See Fig. 11–6.)

Build the medical word that means incision into the eardrum.

____________________ / _____ / __________

Boldfaceindicates a word root or combining form. Blueindicates a suffix. Pinkindicates a prefix.

522 CHAPTER 11• Special Senses: Eyes and Ears

ot/o/scopy

ō-TŎS-kŏ-pē

URI

myring/o/tomy

mĭr-ĭn-GŎT-ō-mē

ot/o/sclerosis

ō-tō-sklĕ-RŌ-sĭs

audi/o/logist

aw-dē-ŎL-ō-jĭst

hearing

staped/ectomy

stā-pē-DĔK-tō-mē

staped/ectomy

stā-pē-DĔK-tō-mē