Ear and audiology: sinus tympani: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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ENT · Ear and audiology: sinus tympani

Sample item

In surgery for cholesteatoma, which middle ear recess is hardest to inspect and is a common site of residual disease?

ASinus tympaniBProtympanumCAditusDHypotympanum

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Sinus tympani

The sinus tympani is a deep recess in the posterior wall of the mesotympanum, medial to the pyramid and the facial nerve and lateral to the labyrinth. It cannot be seen well even with a microscope, so matrix left here causes residual cholesteatoma. Endoscopes help to inspect it.

Option by option

A. Sinus tympani (correct)
Correct. It is a hidden posterior recess.
B. Protympanum
The protympanum contains the tube opening and is anterior.
C. Aditus
The aditus is the passage to the antrum, and it is visible during mastoid surgery.
D. Hypotympanum
The hypotympanum is easily seen after the drum is elevated.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is A, Sinus tympani. The sinus tympani is a deep recess in the posterior wall of the mesotympanum, medial to the pyramid and the facial nerve and lateral to the labyrinth.

Why is "Protympanum" not the answer?

The protympanum contains the tube opening and is anterior.

Why is "Aditus" not the answer?

The aditus is the passage to the antrum, and it is visible during mastoid surgery.

Why is "Hypotympanum" not the answer?

The hypotympanum is easily seen after the drum is elevated.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Ear and audiology: sinus tympani in ENT. It cannot be seen well even with a microscope, so matrix left here causes residual cholesteatoma. Endoscopes help to inspect it.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Ear and audiology: sinus tympani?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.