Wound care: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Surgery · Wound care

Sample item

Which wound finding is most consistent with a surgical-site infection after an operation?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Increasing erythema, warmth, pain, and purulent discharge

Surgical-site infection commonly presents with increasing local inflammatory signs, purulent drainage, fever, or wound separation; assessment should consider need for drainage, culture, antimicrobial therapy, and source control.

Option by option

  • A. Improved mobility with physiotherapy

    Improving mobility does not indicate local wound sepsis.

  • B. Transient hunger after anaesthesia

    Hunger is not a diagnostic sign of a wound infection.

  • C. A clean dry scar with fading bruising

    A dry healing scar and resolving bruising are expected recovery signs.

  • D. Increasing erythema, warmth, pain, and purulent discharge (correct)

    Correct: worsening inflammation with pus is typical of wound infection.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is D, Increasing erythema, warmth, pain, and purulent discharge. Surgical-site infection commonly presents with increasing local inflammatory signs, purulent drainage, fever, or wound separation; assessment should consider need for drainage, culture, antimicrobial therapy, and source control.

Why is "Improved mobility with physiotherapy" not the answer?

Improving mobility does not indicate local wound sepsis.

Why is "Transient hunger after anaesthesia" not the answer?

Hunger is not a diagnostic sign of a wound infection.

Why is "A clean dry scar with fading bruising" not the answer?

A dry healing scar and resolving bruising are expected recovery signs.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Wound care in General Surgery. The correct option holds because: Correct: worsening inflammation with pus is typical of wound infection.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Wound care?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.