Inguinal region: practice question

A Anatomy 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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Anatomy · Inguinal region

Sample item

A firm swelling is felt in the groin below and lateral to the pubic tubercle. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Femoral hernia

Inguinal hernias lie above and medial to the pubic tubercle, femoral hernias below and lateral to it. The femoral ring is narrow and rigid, so these hernias are prone to strangulation and are commoner in women.

Option by option

  • A. Obturator hernia

    Obturator hernias pass through the obturator canal and rarely present as a groin lump.

  • B. Femoral hernia (correct)

    Correct. The femoral canal opens below the inguinal ligament, lateral to the pubic tubercle.

  • C. Indirect inguinal hernia

    Indirect hernias enter the deep ring above the ligament and may reach the scrotum.

  • D. Direct inguinal hernia

    Direct hernias bulge above the inguinal ligament, medial to the inferior epigastric vessels.

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 Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is B, Femoral hernia. Inguinal hernias lie above and medial to the pubic tubercle, femoral hernias below and lateral to it.

Why is "Obturator hernia" not the answer?

Obturator hernias pass through the obturator canal and rarely present as a groin lump.

Why is "Indirect inguinal hernia" not the answer?

Indirect hernias enter the deep ring above the ligament and may reach the scrotum.

Why is "Direct inguinal hernia" not the answer?

Direct hernias bulge above the inguinal ligament, medial to the inferior epigastric vessels.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Inguinal region in Anatomy. The femoral ring is narrow and rigid, so these hernias are prone to strangulation and are commoner in women.

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 Inguinal region?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy 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.