Head and neck: lacrimal sac and medial palpebral ligament: 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.

Try it

Anatomy · Head and neck: lacrimal sac and medial palpebral ligament

Sample item

A baby has a red tender swelling at the medial canthus caused by infection of the lacrimal sac. A surgeon uses a ligament that crosses in front of the sac as a landmark. Which ligament is this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Medial palpebral ligament

The lacrimal sac lies in the lacrimal fossa on the medial wall of the orbit, and the medial palpebral ligament passes in front of its upper part. Swelling of dacryocystitis appears below this ligament, which differentiates it from a swelling that lies above.

Option by option

  • A. Check ligament of the medial rectus

    The check ligament of medial rectus limits action of that muscle and is not near the sac.

  • B. Suspensory ligament of Lockwood

    Lockwood's ligament is a hammock-like suspensory sling beneath the eyeball.

  • C. Medial palpebral ligament (correct)

    Correct. The medial palpebral ligament crosses the front of the lacrimal sac.

  • D. Lateral palpebral ligament

    The lateral palpebral ligament attaches the tarsi to the lateral orbital margin.

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 Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is C, Medial palpebral ligament. The lacrimal sac lies in the lacrimal fossa on the medial wall of the orbit, and the medial palpebral ligament passes in front of its upper part.

Why is "Check ligament of the medial rectus" not the answer?

The check ligament of medial rectus limits action of that muscle and is not near the sac.

Why is "Suspensory ligament of Lockwood" not the answer?

Lockwood's ligament is a hammock-like suspensory sling beneath the eyeball.

Why is "Lateral palpebral ligament" not the answer?

The lateral palpebral ligament attaches the tarsi to the lateral orbital margin.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck: lacrimal sac and medial palpebral ligament in Anatomy. Swelling of dacryocystitis appears below this ligament, which differentiates it from a swelling that lies above.

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 Head and neck: lacrimal sac and medial palpebral ligament?

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.