International Licensing Examination (ILE) Practice Test

Which disease causes spongy bone growth around the stapes and oval window?

1. Otosclerosis

2. Fistula

3. Menieres Disease

4. Tympanosclerosis

The correct answer is: Otosclerosis

Otosclerosis is characterized by abnormal bone growth around the stapes, a small bone in the middle ear, and the oval window, which is a membrane-covered opening that leads from the middle ear to the inner ear. This condition leads to progressively worsening conductive hearing loss as the stapes becomes fixated and cannot vibrate effectively. The spongy bone growth associated with otosclerosis disrupts the normal mechanical function of the auditory ossicles, resulting in impaired sound transmission. In contrast, the other conditions listed do not primarily involve spongy bone growth around the stapes and oval window. A fistula typically refers to an abnormal connection between two structures, often related to fluid leakage in the inner ear, but it does not cause the specific bone growth described in the question. Meniere's disease is associated with inner ear fluid balance disturbances and leads to symptoms like vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss, but it does not involve the spongy bone pathology around the stapes. Tympanosclerosis involves calcification and thickening of the tympanic membrane and does not directly relate to the spongy bone changes seen in otosclerosis. Therefore, otosclerosis is the condition specifically known for causing the described changes around the st