Nose and paranasal sinuses: compensatory turbinate hypertrophy: 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 · Nose and paranasal sinuses: compensatory turbinate hypertrophy

Sample item

A young man with a septum deviated to the left has persistent right-sided nasal blockage. Examination shows a bulky right inferior turbinate in the wider right passage. What explains this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Compensatory hypertrophy on the concave side of the deviation

In septal deviation the wider concave side develops compensatory hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate. Correcting the deviation alone may not relieve the blockage, so septoplasty is often combined with turbinate reduction.

Option by option

  • A. Compensatory hypertrophy on the concave side of the deviation (correct)

    Correct. The turbinate on the wide, concave side hypertrophies to compensate for the airflow.

  • B. Choanal atresia on the right

    Choanal atresia is a congenital blockage seen from birth and does not explain a bulky turbinate.

  • C. Allergic polyp on the narrow side

    Polyps are mobile grape-like masses in the middle meatus and not the finding described.

  • D. Acute rhinosinusitis

    Acute sinusitis would give purulent discharge and facial pain, not a long-standing hypertrophy.

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 A, Compensatory hypertrophy on the concave side of the deviation. In septal deviation the wider concave side develops compensatory hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate.

Why is "Choanal atresia on the right" not the answer?

Choanal atresia is a congenital blockage seen from birth and does not explain a bulky turbinate.

Why is "Allergic polyp on the narrow side" not the answer?

Polyps are mobile grape-like masses in the middle meatus and not the finding described.

Why is "Acute rhinosinusitis" not the answer?

Acute sinusitis would give purulent discharge and facial pain, not a long-standing hypertrophy.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nose and paranasal sinuses: compensatory turbinate hypertrophy in ENT. Correcting the deviation alone may not relieve the blockage, so septoplasty is often combined with turbinate reduction.

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 Nose and paranasal sinuses: compensatory turbinate hypertrophy?

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.