Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat (EENT) Flashcards
7 cards from real Physician Assistant practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Eyes, Ears, Nose and Throat (EENT) flashcards as text
A patient with chronic otitis media has painless foul-smelling otorrhea and a pearly white mass in the attic of the tympanic membrane. What is the diagnosis?
Answer: Cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma is a keratinizing squamous epithelial growth that can erode the ossicles and requires surgical excision.
An elderly man with poorly controlled diabetes has severe ear pain, granulation tissue in the external canal, and an elevated ESR. Which organism is most likely responsible?
Answer: Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Malignant (necrotizing) otitis externa is usually caused by Pseudomonas and can progress to skull base osteomyelitis.
A patient has left-sided hearing loss. The Weber test lateralizes to the left ear, and Rinne testing on the left shows bone conduction greater than air conduction. What type of hearing loss is present?
Answer: Left conductive hearing loss
In conductive loss, Weber lateralizes to the affected ear and Rinne shows BC > AC on that side.
A patient has episodic vertigo lasting hours, fluctuating low-frequency hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. What is the first-line management?
Answer: Low-sodium diet and diuretics
Ménière disease is initially managed with salt restriction and diuretics to reduce endolymphatic hydrops.
A patient has brief episodes of vertigo lasting under a minute when rolling over in bed. Dix-Hallpike produces torsional upbeating nystagmus. What is the best treatment?
Answer: Canalith repositioning (Epley maneuver)
Posterior canal BPPV is treated by canalith repositioning, which moves otoconia out of the semicircular canal.
A 3-year-old with no penicillin allergy and no recent antibiotics has a bulging, erythematous tympanic membrane and fever. What is the first-line antibiotic?
Answer: High-dose amoxicillin
High-dose amoxicillin (80–90 mg/kg/day) is first-line for acute otitis media to cover resistant S. pneumoniae.
A 45-year-old notices sudden unilateral hearing loss upon waking; exam confirms sensorineural loss without other neurologic deficits. What is the most appropriate initial treatment?
Answer: Oral corticosteroids started promptly
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss should be treated promptly with corticosteroids and urgent audiology/ENT evaluation.
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