Trauma and burns: necrotising fasciitis: 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: necrotising fasciitis

Sample item

A diabetic has a swollen thigh with severe pain out of proportion, bullae and a LRINEC score of 9. What is the best management?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Urgent surgical debridement with broad-spectrum antibiotics

Necrotising fasciitis is a surgical emergency, and a LRINEC score of 6 or more raises suspicion (CRP, WBC, haemoglobin, sodium, creatinine, glucose). Immediate radical debridement, broad-spectrum antibiotics covering Gram-positive, Gram-negative and anaerobes (with clindamycin), and resuscitation save lives.

Option by option

  • A. CT scan and wait

    Imaging should not delay surgery when suspicion is high.

  • B. Urgent surgical debridement with broad-spectrum antibiotics (correct)

    Correct. Early debridement is essential.

  • C. Oral antibiotics and review in 48 hours

    Delay increases mortality.

  • D. Elevation and compression

    Compression worsens ischaemia.

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, Urgent surgical debridement with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Necrotising fasciitis is a surgical emergency, and a LRINEC score of 6 or more raises suspicion (CRP, WBC, haemoglobin, sodium, creatinine, glucose).

Why is "CT scan and wait" not the answer?

Imaging should not delay surgery when suspicion is high.

Why is "Oral antibiotics and review in 48 hours" not the answer?

Delay increases mortality.

Why is "Elevation and compression" not the answer?

Compression worsens ischaemia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma and burns: necrotising fasciitis in General Surgery. Immediate radical debridement, broad-spectrum antibiotics covering Gram-positive, Gram-negative and anaerobes (with clindamycin), and resuscitation save lives.

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: necrotising fasciitis?

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.