Otology: 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 · Otology

Sample item

Why is a button battery in the ear canal an emergency?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. It can rapidly cause chemical tissue necrosis

Button batteries generate local electrical and alkaline injury that can rapidly damage the canal and tympanic membrane, requiring urgent removal.

Option by option

  • A. It causes slow harmless wax formation

    Wax formation is not the battery hazard.

  • B. It dissolves safely in water

    Water does not make a battery safe.

  • C. It can rapidly cause chemical tissue necrosis (correct)

    Correct: caustic injury can progress within hours.

  • D. It improves conductive hearing

    A battery obstructs rather than improves hearing.

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.

More ENT questions

Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is C, It can rapidly cause chemical tissue necrosis. Button batteries generate local electrical and alkaline injury that can rapidly damage the canal and tympanic membrane, requiring urgent removal.

Why is "It causes slow harmless wax formation" not the answer?

Wax formation is not the battery hazard.

Why is "It dissolves safely in water" not the answer?

Water does not make a battery safe.

Why is "It improves conductive hearing" not the answer?

A battery obstructs rather than improves hearing.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Otology in ENT. The correct option holds because: Correct: caustic injury can progress within hours.

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 Otology?

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.