Perioperative care: human bite of the hand: 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 · Perioperative care: human bite of the hand

Sample item

A man has a swollen painful third metacarpophalangeal joint with a small laceration over the knuckle after punching someone in the mouth two days ago. What is the management?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Joint exploration and washout with intravenous antibiotics

A clenched fist injury (fight bite) can inoculate mouth flora into the joint, so a laceration over the metacarpophalangeal joint needs exploration, washout, leaving the wound open and intravenous antibiotics such as co-amoxiclav.

Option by option

  • A. Tetanus booster and reassurance

    Tetanus alone ignores joint contamination.

  • B. Splint only

    Splinting alone does not treat an established septic arthritis.

  • C. Primary suturing and oral antibiotics

    Primary closure traps infection.

  • D. Joint exploration and washout with intravenous antibiotics (correct)

    Correct. Surgical washout with antibiotics is required.

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, Joint exploration and washout with intravenous antibiotics. A clenched fist injury (fight bite) can inoculate mouth flora into the joint, so a laceration over the metacarpophalangeal joint needs exploration, washout, leaving the wound open and intravenous antibiotics such as co-amoxiclav.

Why is "Tetanus booster and reassurance" not the answer?

Tetanus alone ignores joint contamination.

Why is "Splint only" not the answer?

Splinting alone does not treat an established septic arthritis.

Why is "Primary suturing and oral antibiotics" not the answer?

Primary closure traps infection.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Perioperative care: human bite of the hand in General Surgery. The correct option holds because: Correct. Surgical washout with antibiotics is required.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Perioperative care: human bite of the hand?

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.