Ragged Margins in Surgery — 6yo Child | ENT | SMLE Q#11014
SMLE Question #11014
Surgery
ENT
Objective: OBJ-ENT-POSTOP-BLEED
Last updated: February 2026
A 6-year-old boy falls down one flight of stairs and strikes the left side of his head. He cries immediately, has no loss of consciousness, and remains alert. He reports left ear pain, tinnitus, and decreased hearing. Otoscopic examination shows fresh blood in the left external auditory canal; the canal walls are intact and nontender. The tympanic membrane has a central irregular tear with ragged margins. There is no bruising over the mastoid or around the eyes and no clear fluid drainage from the nose or ears. What is the most likely diagnosis?
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