Paranasal sinuses: maxillary sinus drainage: practice question

A Anatomy 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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Anatomy · Paranasal sinuses: maxillary sinus drainage

Sample item

A 35-year-old woman has chronic maxillary sinusitis that responds poorly to postural drainage. Which anatomical feature of the maxillary sinus accounts for its poor drainage?

AIts ostium lies at the floor and opens into the inferior meatusBIts ostium opens into the superior meatus beneath the superior turbinateCIts ostium lies high on the medial wall and opens into the middle meatus at the hiatus semilunarisDIts ostium lies on the roof and opens into the sphenoethmoidal recess

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Its ostium lies high on the medial wall and opens into the middle meatus at the hiatus semilunaris

The maxillary ostium lies near the roof of the sinus on its medial wall and opens into the hiatus semilunaris in the middle meatus. Because it is far above the floor, secretions have to be moved upward against gravity by cilia, and drainage is easily blocked by mucosal oedema. The inferior meatus receives the nasolacrimal duct and does not drain this sinus.

Option by option

A. Its ostium lies at the floor and opens into the inferior meatus
The inferior meatus receives the nasolacrimal duct, not the maxillary sinus.
B. Its ostium opens into the superior meatus beneath the superior turbinate
The superior meatus receives the posterior ethmoidal air cells.
C. Its ostium lies high on the medial wall and opens into the middle meatus at the hiatus semilunaris (correct)
Correct. The high medial ostium in the middle meatus makes gravity drainage impossible.
D. Its ostium lies on the roof and opens into the sphenoethmoidal recess
The sphenoethmoidal recess receives the sphenoid sinus ostium.

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 Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is C, Its ostium lies high on the medial wall and opens into the middle meatus at the hiatus semilunaris. The maxillary ostium lies near the roof of the sinus on its medial wall and opens into the hiatus semilunaris in the middle meatus.

Why is "Its ostium lies at the floor and opens into the inferior meatus" not the answer?

The inferior meatus receives the nasolacrimal duct, not the maxillary sinus.

Why is "Its ostium opens into the superior meatus beneath the superior turbin…" not the answer?

The superior meatus receives the posterior ethmoidal air cells.

Why is "Its ostium lies on the roof and opens into the sphenoethmoidal recess" not the answer?

The sphenoethmoidal recess receives the sphenoid sinus ostium.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Paranasal sinuses: maxillary sinus drainage in Anatomy. Because it is far above the floor, secretions have to be moved upward against gravity by cilia, and drainage is easily blocked by mucosal oedema. The inferior meatus receives the nasolacrimal duct and does not drain this sinus.

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 Paranasal sinuses: maxillary sinus drainage?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy 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.