Vascular surgery: acute limb ischaemia: 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 · Vascular surgery: acute limb ischaemia

Sample item

A patient with atrial fibrillation presents with a cold, pale, painful leg with paraesthesia and no pulses for 4 hours but with preserved motor function. After starting heparin, what is the definitive treatment?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Embolectomy using a Fogarty balloon catheter

Embolic acute limb ischaemia (six Ps: pain, pallor, pulselessness, paraesthesia, paralysis, perishing cold) is treated by heparin and urgent revascularisation, usually embolectomy for viable limbs. Reperfusion injury causes hyperkalaemia, acidosis and compartment syndrome, which may need fasciotomy.

Option by option

  • A. Wait and watch for 48 hours

    Delay leads to irreversible ischaemia.

  • B. Embolectomy using a Fogarty balloon catheter (correct)

    Correct. Embolectomy restores flow to a viable limb.

  • C. Oral aspirin only

    Aspirin does not revascularise.

  • D. Immediate above-knee amputation

    The limb is still salvageable.

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 B, Embolectomy using a Fogarty balloon catheter. Embolic acute limb ischaemia (six Ps: pain, pallor, pulselessness, paraesthesia, paralysis, perishing cold) is treated by heparin and urgent revascularisation, usually embolectomy for viable limbs.

Why is "Wait and watch for 48 hours" not the answer?

Delay leads to irreversible ischaemia.

Why is "Oral aspirin only" not the answer?

Aspirin does not revascularise.

Why is "Immediate above-knee amputation" not the answer?

The limb is still salvageable.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vascular surgery: acute limb ischaemia in General Surgery. Reperfusion injury causes hyperkalaemia, acidosis and compartment syndrome, which may need fasciotomy.

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 Vascular surgery: acute limb ischaemia?

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.