A 25-year-old presents with painless ear discharge, central perforation, and conductive hearing loss. Audiometry reveals a 30 dB conductive hearing loss. The ossicle most commonly eroded in CSOM with mucosal disease (tubotympanic type) is:
- A Malleus handle
- B Stapes superstructure
- C Long process of the incus ✓
- D Stapes footplate
Correct answer: C. Long process of the incus
Explanation
The long process of the incus is the most commonly eroded ossicle in CSOM, due to its relatively precarious blood supply (end-arterial from the lenticular process). Erosion of the long process of the incus causes an incus-stapes discontinuity — the most common ossicular defect repaired during tympanoplasty. A 30 dB air-bone gap is typically associated with this defect. Stapes suprastructure erosion occurs in severe disease or cholesteatoma.
Reference: Dhingra Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 7th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.