Trauma: 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 · Trauma

Sample item

After a fall astride a bar, a man has blood at the external urethral meatus, a high-riding prostate and a perineal haematoma, and cannot pass urine. What should be done before attempting catheterisation?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Retrograde urethrogram

These features suggest a posterior urethral injury. Blind catheterisation can convert a partial tear into a complete one, so a retrograde urethrogram is done first. Complete injuries are managed with suprapubic catheterisation and delayed repair.

Option by option

  • A. Intravenous urogram

    Intravenous urography does not show the urethra adequately.

  • B. Retrograde urethrogram (correct)

    Correct. Retrograde urethrography defines urethral injury before any instrumentation.

  • C. Cystoscopy under anaesthesia only

    Cystoscopy is not the first test and carries the same risk of worsening injury.

  • D. Rectal examination only

    A rectal examination is already part of assessment and does not define the injury.

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.

More General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is B, Retrograde urethrogram. These features suggest a posterior urethral injury.

Why is "Intravenous urogram" not the answer?

Intravenous urography does not show the urethra adequately.

Why is "Cystoscopy under anaesthesia only" not the answer?

Cystoscopy is not the first test and carries the same risk of worsening injury.

Why is "Rectal examination only" not the answer?

A rectal examination is already part of assessment and does not define the injury.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma in General Surgery. Blind catheterisation can convert a partial tear into a complete one, so a retrograde urethrogram is done first. Complete injuries are managed with suprapubic catheterisation and delayed repair.

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 Trauma?

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.