Hearing rehabilitation: 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 · Hearing rehabilitation

Sample item

A 3-year-old child with congenital profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss gets no benefit from well-fitted hearing aids. Cochlear implantation is planned. Which structure must be intact for the implant to work?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Cochlear (auditory) nerve

A cochlear implant bypasses the damaged hair cells and directly stimulates the spiral ganglion neurons and cochlear nerve fibres with an electrode array in the scala tympani. A functioning auditory nerve is therefore essential, and cochlear nerve aplasia on MRI is a contraindication.

Option by option

  • A. Tympanic membrane

    The tympanic membrane is bypassed by the electrode.

  • B. Cochlear (auditory) nerve (correct)

    Correct. The electrode stimulates the auditory nerve, which then carries the signal to the brain.

  • C. Ossicular chain

    The ossicles are not involved in electrical stimulation.

  • D. Outer hair cells of the organ of Corti

    The implant replaces damaged hair cells, so they need not be present.

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 B, Cochlear (auditory) nerve. A cochlear implant bypasses the damaged hair cells and directly stimulates the spiral ganglion neurons and cochlear nerve fibres with an electrode array in the scala tympani.

Why is "Tympanic membrane" not the answer?

The tympanic membrane is bypassed by the electrode.

Why is "Ossicular chain" not the answer?

The ossicles are not involved in electrical stimulation.

Why is "Outer hair cells of the organ of Corti" not the answer?

The implant replaces damaged hair cells, so they need not be present.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hearing rehabilitation in ENT. A functioning auditory nerve is therefore essential, and cochlear nerve aplasia on MRI is a contraindication.

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 Hearing rehabilitation?

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.