Salivary Gland Question bank


Q1. Most reliable landmark to identify facial nerve trunk?

a) Tragal pointer
b) Posterior belly of digastric
c) Styloid process
d) External carotid artery
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Answer: a) Tragal pointer

Facial nerve lies ~1 cm deep and inferior to tragal pointer.

Why wrong:
b) Less consistent
c) Too deep landmark
d) Not a nerve landmark

Teaching points:
• Tragal pointer = most used landmark
• Also use digastric + tympanomastoid suture
• Facial nerve injury = major complication

Q2. Most common benign parotid tumor?

a) Pleomorphic adenoma
b) Warthin tumor
c) Basal cell adenoma
d) Oncocytoma
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Answer: a) Pleomorphic adenoma

Accounts for ~60–70% parotid tumors.

Why wrong:
b) Second most common
c) Rare tumor
d) Very rare

Teaching points:
• Mixed tumor (epithelial + stromal)
• Risk of carcinoma ex pleomorphic
• Needs superficial parotidectomy (not enucleation)

Q3. Feature of Warthin tumor?

a) Smoking + bilateral
b) High malignant potential
c) Common in minor glands
d) Perineural invasion
Show Answer
Answer: a) Smoking + bilateral

Second most common benign tumor, strongly linked to smoking.

Why wrong:
b) Rare malignancy
c) Pleomorphic is most common
d) Seen in adenoid cystic carcinoma

Teaching points:
• Occurs in parotid only
• Bilateral/multifocal
• Oncocytic epithelium + lymphoid stroma