Which of the following is an early sign of acoustic neuroma produced by involvement of the sensory cutaneous fibres of the facial nerve?

• A Hennebert sign
• B Stenger test abnormality
• C Dix-Hallpike response
• D Hitzelberger sign ✓

Explanation

The facial nerve carries somatic sensory fibres supplying a small patch of skin on the posteroinferior wall of the external auditory canal and part of the concha. Involvement of these fibres by an expanding vestibular schwannoma produces numbness or hypoesthesia in this area, called the Hitzelberger sign, which can precede overt cochlear deficits. Hennebert sign is a false positive fistula test seen in Meniere disease and congenital syphilis, and the Stenger test detects non-organic hearing loss.

Reference: Dhingra's Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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