Vestibular disorders: lateral medullary syndrome: 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 · Vestibular disorders: lateral medullary syndrome

Sample item

A 62-year-old hypertensive man has sudden vertigo, hoarseness, left Horner syndrome, loss of pain and temperature on the left face and the right body. Which vessel is involved?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Left posterior inferior cerebellar or vertebral artery

Wallenberg's syndrome follows infarction of the lateral medulla due to vertebral or PICA occlusion. It causes vertigo, nystagmus, dysphagia, ipsilateral Horner syndrome and ipsilateral facial with contralateral body sensory loss. AICA infarction causes facial paralysis and deafness.

Option by option

  • A. Basilar tip

    Basilar tip occlusion gives midbrain and thalamic signs.

  • B. Left anterior inferior cerebellar artery

    AICA lesion gives ipsilateral facial palsy and hearing loss.

  • C. Left posterior inferior cerebellar or vertebral artery (correct)

    Correct. Lateral medullary infarction is a PICA or vertebral lesion.

  • D. Left middle cerebral artery

    MCA lesion gives contralateral hemiparesis and aphasia.

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.

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Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is C, Left posterior inferior cerebellar or vertebral artery. Wallenberg's syndrome follows infarction of the lateral medulla due to vertebral or PICA occlusion.

Why is "Basilar tip" not the answer?

Basilar tip occlusion gives midbrain and thalamic signs.

Why is "Left anterior inferior cerebellar artery" not the answer?

AICA lesion gives ipsilateral facial palsy and hearing loss.

Why is "Left middle cerebral artery" not the answer?

MCA lesion gives contralateral hemiparesis and aphasia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vestibular disorders: lateral medullary syndrome in ENT. It causes vertigo, nystagmus, dysphagia, ipsilateral Horner syndrome and ipsilateral facial with contralateral body sensory loss. AICA infarction causes facial paralysis and deafness.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Vestibular disorders: lateral medullary syndrome?

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.