Trauma and burns: pressure ulcer staging: 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: pressure ulcer staging

Sample item

A bedridden patient has a sacral pressure ulcer with full-thickness skin loss exposing subcutaneous fat but no muscle or bone. Which NPUAP stage is this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Stage 3

Stage 1 is non-blanching erythema, stage 2 partial-thickness loss with dermis, stage 3 full-thickness loss with visible fat, and stage 4 exposed muscle, tendon or bone. Management includes pressure relief, nutrition, debridement and sometimes flap cover.

Option by option

  • A. Stage 4

    Stage 4 shows muscle or bone.

  • B. Stage 1

    Stage 1 has intact skin.

  • C. Stage 3 (correct)

    Correct. Visible fat means stage 3.

  • D. Stage 2

    Stage 2 is partial thickness only.

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 C, Stage 3. Stage 1 is non-blanching erythema, stage 2 partial-thickness loss with dermis, stage 3 full-thickness loss with visible fat, and stage 4 exposed muscle, tendon or bone.

Why is "Stage 4" not the answer?

Stage 4 shows muscle or bone.

Why is "Stage 1" not the answer?

Stage 1 has intact skin.

Why is "Stage 2" not the answer?

Stage 2 is partial thickness only.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma and burns: pressure ulcer staging in General Surgery. Management includes pressure relief, nutrition, debridement and sometimes flap cover.

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 Trauma and burns: pressure ulcer staging?

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.