Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: amoebic abscess aspiration: 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 · Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: amoebic abscess aspiration

Sample item

A man with an 8 cm amoebic liver abscess in the left lobe is on metronidazole but still has pain and fever on day 5. Ultrasound shows the abscess approaching the pericardium. What is the best next step?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration

Left lobe abscesses, large abscesses and those with no response to drugs by 5 days should be aspirated because of the risk of rupture into the pericardium or peritoneum. Surgery is reserved for rupture or failure of percutaneous drainage.

Option by option

  • A. Continue metronidazole alone for 2 more weeks

    Waiting risks rupture into the pericardium.

  • B. Open surgical drainage with a T-tube

    Open drainage is for complications when percutaneous drainage fails.

  • C. Left hepatic lobectomy

    Resection is not needed for an infective collection.

  • D. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration (correct)

    Correct. Aspiration is indicated for a left-lobe abscess near the pericardium with poor response.

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, Ultrasound-guided percutaneous aspiration. Left lobe abscesses, large abscesses and those with no response to drugs by 5 days should be aspirated because of the risk of rupture into the pericardium or peritoneum.

Why is "Continue metronidazole alone for 2 more weeks" not the answer?

Waiting risks rupture into the pericardium.

Why is "Open surgical drainage with a T-tube" not the answer?

Open drainage is for complications when percutaneous drainage fails.

Why is "Left hepatic lobectomy" not the answer?

Resection is not needed for an infective collection.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: amoebic abscess aspiration in General Surgery. Surgery is reserved for rupture or failure of percutaneous drainage.

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 Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: amoebic abscess aspiration?

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.