A 42-year-old man is referred to an otolaryngologist with vertigo and hearing loss. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the cranial region reveals a tumour at the cerebellopontine angle. A working diagnosis of acoustic neuroma is made. In light of the progressive symptoms, the surgeon plans to remove the tumour.
With regard to the vestibulocochlear nerve, which of the following is correct?
A 5-year-old boy is presented to a paediatrician with a cystic mass on the right lateral aspect of his neck, just below the angle of the jaw. The mother reports intermittent discharge from a small pit located just in front of the lower anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. What is the cause of this cyst, resulting from the failure of proliferation of which mesenchyme?
A 25-year-old woman visits her primary care physician to discuss the possibility of tonsillectomy referral. She has experienced four instances of acute tonsillitis annually for the past five years. Some of these have necessitated antibiotics while others have been treated conservatively. As a graduate student, each of these occurrences has been debilitating, causing her to miss multiple days of classes. What is an indication for referral for tonsillectomy for tonsillitis?
A 57-year-old man comes to his doctor’s office with a complaint of ongoing right ear pain and associated hearing loss for several weeks. He denies any significant discharge from his ear and has not experienced any fevers. He reports feeling pain in his jaw that sometimes clicks. During the examination, the doctor observes cerumen in the right ear and no inflammation. The tympanic membrane appears normal. The patient experiences pain when moving his jaw. What is the probable diagnosis?
A 30-year-old man visits his GP complaining of ear pain, itch and pus-like discharge that has been present for 3 days. He reports no fever and no hearing loss. The patient has a history of psoriasis. On examination, the doctor observes a raised red lesion on the ear with thick, silvery-white adherent scales. The tympanic membrane is intact and there is no visible mucous. The external auditory canal shows mild erythema and swelling. There is no palpable lymphadenopathy. What is the most appropriate treatment for this man’s acute ear condition?
A 5-year-old child, who was born in Germany, is brought to the General Practitioner (GP) by his mother because of recurrent sinus infections and failure to thrive. She is also concerned that the child has had diarrhoea for a few months, which is not resolving.
During the examination, you notice several shiny, pink masses occupying the nasal canals.
What is the most suitable initial step in treating this patient?
A 22-year-old woman has been experiencing symptoms of the flu for the past four days and has had to take time off work from her job as a receptionist. She would like a sick note to give to her employer. How long can she self-certify before needing to obtain a note from her GP?
A 40-year-old farmer visits the General Practitioner (GP) complaining of severe pain in the left parotid area for the past week. The pain is triggered when the patient is eating or about to eat. The GP suspects a parotid duct stone.
Regarding the parotid gland, which of the following statements is accurate?
A 45-year-old woman presents with a neck swelling. The lump is smooth, non-tender and in the midline of the neck, just below the cricoid cartilage. A thyroglossal cyst is suspected.
Which of the following features is most indicative of this condition?
A 64-year-old man is undergoing evaluation for hoarseness that has persisted for 6 weeks. He smokes 25 cigarettes a day and has been experiencing a chronic cough for the past 3 months. He denies any episodes of coughing up blood. During an initial examination, an otolaryngologist observes that the right vocal fold is immobile while speaking.
What is the most probable underlying cause?