External ear: keratosis obturans: 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 · External ear: keratosis obturans

Sample item

A young adult with bronchiectasis has sudden severe bilateral ear pain and conductive hearing loss. The canal is widened and filled with a keratin plug. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Keratosis obturans

Keratosis obturans is a keratin plug in the bony canal with widening of the canal, typically bilateral, painful and in younger patients. Canal cholesteatoma is usually unilateral, painless in older patients, and erodes bone. Removal of the plug under microscope cures it.

Option by option

  • A. Malignant otitis externa

    Malignant otitis externa occurs in diabetics with granulations.

  • B. Keratosis obturans (correct)

    Correct. A bilateral keratin plug with a widened canal and pain is keratosis obturans.

  • C. Exostoses

    Exostoses are bony swellings, not keratin plugs.

  • D. Canal cholesteatoma

    Canal cholesteatoma causes localised bone erosion and is typically painless in older adults.

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, Keratosis obturans. Keratosis obturans is a keratin plug in the bony canal with widening of the canal, typically bilateral, painful and in younger patients.

Why is "Malignant otitis externa" not the answer?

Malignant otitis externa occurs in diabetics with granulations.

Why is "Exostoses" not the answer?

Exostoses are bony swellings, not keratin plugs.

Why is "Canal cholesteatoma" not the answer?

Canal cholesteatoma causes localised bone erosion and is typically painless in older adults.

What concept does this question test?

It tests External ear: keratosis obturans in ENT. Canal cholesteatoma is usually unilateral, painless in older patients, and erodes bone. Removal of the plug under microscope cures it.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 External ear: keratosis obturans?

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.