Pancreas: gallstone pancreatitis timing: 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 · Pancreas: gallstone pancreatitis timing

Sample item

A 44-year-old woman is admitted with mild acute gallstone pancreatitis. She improves in 3 days, tolerates a diet, and has no necrosis or collections on imaging. When should laparoscopic cholecystectomy be performed?

AAfter 6 months to allow the inflammation to settleBNever, since sphincterotomy replaces it in all fit patientsCOnly if she has a second attackDDuring the same admission once she has recovered

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. During the same admission once she has recovered

In mild gallstone pancreatitis, cholecystectomy during the same admission reduces the risk of recurrent pancreatitis and readmission. In contrast, in severe or necrotising disease surgery is delayed until collections resolve or mature, usually about 6 weeks. Waiting for months exposes the patient to repeated attacks.

Option by option

A. After 6 months to allow the inflammation to settle
A long delay risks recurrent attacks and is reserved for severe disease with collections.
B. Never, since sphincterotomy replaces it in all fit patients
Sphincterotomy lowers recurrence but is for patients unfit for surgery and does not replace cholecystectomy.
C. Only if she has a second attack
Waiting for a second attack accepts avoidable morbidity, as recurrence rates are high without surgery.
D. During the same admission once she has recovered (correct)
Correct. Same-admission cholecystectomy prevents recurrent biliary pancreatitis in mild disease.

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.

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is D, During the same admission once she has recovered. In mild gallstone pancreatitis, cholecystectomy during the same admission reduces the risk of recurrent pancreatitis and readmission.

Why is "After 6 months to allow the inflammation to settle" not the answer?

A long delay risks recurrent attacks and is reserved for severe disease with collections.

Why is "Never, since sphincterotomy replaces it in all fit patients" not the answer?

Sphincterotomy lowers recurrence but is for patients unfit for surgery and does not replace cholecystectomy.

Why is "Only if she has a second attack" not the answer?

Waiting for a second attack accepts avoidable morbidity, as recurrence rates are high without surgery.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Pancreas: gallstone pancreatitis timing in General Surgery. In contrast, in severe or necrotising disease surgery is delayed until collections resolve or mature, usually about 6 weeks. Waiting for months exposes the patient to repeated attacks.

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 Pancreas: gallstone pancreatitis timing?

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.