Ear and audiology: vegetable foreign body in the ear: 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 · Ear and audiology: vegetable foreign body in the ear

Sample item

A child has a dried pea lodged in the ear canal. Why should syringing with water be avoided?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. The seed swells in water and becomes impacted

Organic foreign bodies such as peas, seeds and beans swell when wet, wedging more tightly in the canal. They are removed dry with a hook or loop under vision. General anaesthesia may be needed in an uncooperative child.

Option by option

  • A. It makes the seed rot instantly

    Rotting takes days, not minutes, and is not the reason syringing is avoided.

  • B. It causes immediate drum perforation in all children

    Syringing does not perforate every drum but is avoided here for another reason.

  • C. The seed swells in water and becomes impacted (correct)

    Correct. Hygroscopic seeds swell with water and become tightly impacted.

  • D. It forces the seed into the mastoid

    Water does not push a seed into the mastoid, which is separated by the drum.

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.

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Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is C, The seed swells in water and becomes impacted. Organic foreign bodies such as peas, seeds and beans swell when wet, wedging more tightly in the canal.

Why is "It makes the seed rot instantly" not the answer?

Rotting takes days, not minutes, and is not the reason syringing is avoided.

Why is "It causes immediate drum perforation in all children" not the answer?

Syringing does not perforate every drum but is avoided here for another reason.

Why is "It forces the seed into the mastoid" not the answer?

Water does not push a seed into the mastoid, which is separated by the drum.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Ear and audiology: vegetable foreign body in the ear in ENT. They are removed dry with a hook or loop under vision. General anaesthesia may be needed in an uncooperative child.

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 Ear and audiology: vegetable foreign body in the ear?

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.