Clinical Cases
Worked single-best-answer cases. Each presents a vignette, a tympanogram, a diagnostic question with per-option rationale, and a teaching point. Completion is saved locally on your device.
A 4-year-old with a blocked-ear sensation
A 4-year-old is brought in after recurrent colds. Hearing seems reduced. Otoscopy shows a dull, retracted drum without an obvious perforation.
A 30-year-old with fullness after a flight
A 30-year-old reports persistent ear fullness and mild muffled hearing after a recent flight with a head cold. Otoscopy shows a slightly retracted but mobile drum.
A 45-year-old with progressive hearing loss
A 45-year-old describes slowly progressive hearing loss, worse in one ear, with no pain or discharge. Otoscopy is unremarkable. Audiometry shows a conductive loss with a notch in the bone-conduction line near 2 kHz.
A 52-year-old with sudden hearing loss after a sneeze
A 52-year-old reports that hearing in one ear dropped abruptly during a forceful sneeze. There is no pain, discharge or vertigo. Otoscopy shows an intact, normal-looking drum.
A 60-year-old with one-sided hearing loss and poor word clarity
A 60-year-old describes gradual hearing loss in the right ear with disproportionately poor clarity of speech and occasional unsteadiness. Otoscopy is normal bilaterally.
A 6-year-old reviewed after grommet insertion
A 6-year-old who had ventilation tubes (grommets) placed two months ago is brought for routine review. The parents report hearing has improved. Otoscopy shows a tube in place and appearing patent.
A 38-year-old with ear fullness and a flying history
A 38-year-old frequent flyer reports recurring ear fullness and a sense that the ear 'won't clear', worse on descent. Hearing is only mildly affected. Otoscopy shows a retracted but intact drum.
A 48-year-old with long-standing otosclerosis and worsening clarity
A 48-year-old with known otosclerosis returns reporting that hearing has worsened and that speech now sounds unclear, not just quiet. Otoscopy is normal. The question is whether a sensorineural component has developed.