During a canal wall up mastoidectomy, the surgeon encounters a bony ridge running from the posterior bony canal wall to the lateral semicircular canal. This ridge is called the:

• A Posterior buttress (bridge) ✓
• B Bill's bar
• C Ponticulus
• D Facial ridge

Explanation

The posterior buttress (bridge) is the bony bar between the posterior wall of the external auditory canal and the lateral semicircular canal that must be carefully preserved or removed during canal wall up mastoidectomy. The facial ridge is the bony prominence overlying the descending facial nerve in the mastoid. Bill's bar separates the facial nerve from the superior vestibular nerve at the fundus of the internal acoustic meatus.

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.