<prompt> A 75-year old diabetic patient presents wain severe ear pain and granulation tissue at external auditory canal with facial nerve involvement. -The most likely diagnosis is:Malignant otitis externaNasopharyngeal carcinomaAcute suppurative otitis mediaChronic suppurative otitis media  <response>: Ans. a. Malignant otitis externa Presence of a painful lesion in the external ear with the evidence of granulation tissue and associated cranial nerve palsies VII nerve in a diabetic or immunocompromised patient suggest a diagnosis of malignant otitis externa 