Head and neck: sphenoethmoidal recess: 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 · Head and neck: sphenoethmoidal recess

Sample item

A patient with chronic sinusitis has pus seen high in the nasal cavity, above the superior concha, in the recess between the concha and the sphenoid. Which sinus drains here?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Sphenoidal sinus

The sphenoidal sinus opens into the sphenoethmoidal recess above the superior concha. The frontal, maxillary and anterior ethmoidal sinuses drain into the middle meatus, and the posterior ethmoidal cells into the superior meatus.

Option by option

  • A. Sphenoidal sinus (correct)

    Correct. The sphenoidal sinus opens into this recess.

  • B. Frontal sinus

    The frontal sinus drains through the frontonasal duct into the middle meatus.

  • C. Maxillary sinus

    The maxillary sinus opens into the hiatus semilunaris of the middle meatus.

  • D. Anterior ethmoidal cells

    Anterior ethmoidal cells drain into the middle meatus, not the sphenoethmoidal recess.

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 A, Sphenoidal sinus. The sphenoidal sinus opens into the sphenoethmoidal recess above the superior concha.

Why is "Frontal sinus" not the answer?

The frontal sinus drains through the frontonasal duct into the middle meatus.

Why is "Maxillary sinus" not the answer?

The maxillary sinus opens into the hiatus semilunaris of the middle meatus.

Why is "Anterior ethmoidal cells" not the answer?

Anterior ethmoidal cells drain into the middle meatus, not the sphenoethmoidal recess.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck: sphenoethmoidal recess in Anatomy. The frontal, maxillary and anterior ethmoidal sinuses drain into the middle meatus, and the posterior ethmoidal cells into the superior meatus.

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: sphenoethmoidal recess?

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.