Tonsillitis and peritonsillar infection: 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 · Tonsillitis and peritonsillar infection

Sample item

A patient with fever, trismus and unilateral bulging of the soft palate above the tonsil has a swollen, oedematous uvula. In which direction is the uvula displaced?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Away from the affected side

The collection pushes the tonsil medially and the uvula toward the opposite side. Drainage by needle aspiration or incision and antibiotics are required.

Option by option

  • A. Away from the affected side (correct)

    Correct. The swelling pushes the uvula to the opposite side.

  • B. It remains exactly midline

    Midline position would not be expected with a significant collection.

  • C. Toward the affected side

    The uvula is pushed, not pulled, toward the lesion.

  • D. Replaced by a grey membrane

    A grey membrane is typical of diphtheria.

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, Away from the affected side. The collection pushes the tonsil medially and the uvula toward the opposite side.

Why is "It remains exactly midline" not the answer?

Midline position would not be expected with a significant collection.

Why is "Toward the affected side" not the answer?

The uvula is pushed, not pulled, toward the lesion.

Why is "Replaced by a grey membrane" not the answer?

A grey membrane is typical of diphtheria.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Tonsillitis and peritonsillar infection in ENT. Drainage by needle aspiration or incision and antibiotics are required.

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 Tonsillitis and peritonsillar infection?

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.