Trauma and burns: surgical airway: 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 · Trauma and burns: surgical airway

Sample item

A man with severe facial trauma cannot be intubated and cannot be ventilated by bag-mask. What is the next step?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Surgical cricothyroidotomy

In a cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate situation, front-of-neck access via cricothyroidotomy through the cricothyroid membrane is the life-saving step. Needle cricothyroidotomy is used in young children under 12 years instead of surgical access.

Option by option

  • A. Surgical cricothyroidotomy (correct)

    Correct. Emergency surgical airway is indicated.

  • B. Repeat laryngoscopy indefinitely

    Persisting with failed attempts causes hypoxic death.

  • C. Nasopharyngeal airway

    A nasopharyngeal airway will not bypass the obstruction.

  • D. Tracheostomy in the ward next day

    A delay is fatal.

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 General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Surgical cricothyroidotomy. In a cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate situation, front-of-neck access via cricothyroidotomy through the cricothyroid membrane is the life-saving step.

Why is "Repeat laryngoscopy indefinitely" not the answer?

Persisting with failed attempts causes hypoxic death.

Why is "Nasopharyngeal airway" not the answer?

A nasopharyngeal airway will not bypass the obstruction.

Why is "Tracheostomy in the ward next day" not the answer?

A delay is fatal.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma and burns: surgical airway in General Surgery. Needle cricothyroidotomy is used in young children under 12 years instead of surgical access.

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 Trauma and burns: surgical airway?

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.