Otology: congenital cholesteatoma: 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 · Otology: congenital cholesteatoma

Sample item

A 4-year-old with no previous ear discharge or surgery has a white pearly mass behind an intact tympanic membrane in the anterosuperior quadrant. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Congenital cholesteatoma

Congenital cholesteatoma appears as a white mass behind an intact drum, often anterosuperior, without perforation or previous infection. It arises from epithelial rests and requires surgical excision.

Option by option

  • A. Acquired attic cholesteatoma

    Acquired cholesteatoma has a retraction pocket or perforation.

  • B. Congenital cholesteatoma (correct)

    Correct. A white mass behind an intact drum without history is congenital cholesteatoma.

  • C. Glomus tympanicum

    Glomus tympanicum is a red vascular mass.

  • D. Tympanosclerosis

    Tympanosclerosis involves plaques in 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 B, Congenital cholesteatoma. Congenital cholesteatoma appears as a white mass behind an intact drum, often anterosuperior, without perforation or previous infection.

Why is "Acquired attic cholesteatoma" not the answer?

Acquired cholesteatoma has a retraction pocket or perforation.

Why is "Glomus tympanicum" not the answer?

Glomus tympanicum is a red vascular mass.

Why is "Tympanosclerosis" not the answer?

Tympanosclerosis involves plaques in the drum.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Otology: congenital cholesteatoma in ENT. It arises from epithelial rests and requires surgical excision.

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 Otology: congenital cholesteatoma?

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.