Paediatric surgery: appendicitis in young children: 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 · Paediatric surgery: appendicitis in young children

Sample item

A 3-year-old has fever, vomiting and diffuse abdominal pain for 2 days. Which statement about appendicitis in this age group is correct?

AIt often presents late with perforation, and ultrasound is the first-line imagingBIt is easily diagnosed on historyCPerforation is rareDCT is always first-line

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. It often presents late with perforation, and ultrasound is the first-line imaging

Young children have nonspecific symptoms and cannot localise pain, so perforation rates are high at presentation. Graded-compression ultrasound is the preferred first imaging to avoid radiation, with MRI or CT for equivocal cases.

Option by option

A. It often presents late with perforation, and ultrasound is the first-line imaging (correct)
Correct. Late perforation and ultrasound-first are the features.
B. It is easily diagnosed on history
Diagnosis is difficult.
C. Perforation is rare
Perforation is common in this age group.
D. CT is always first-line
CT is not first-line in children.

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.

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, It often presents late with perforation, and ultrasound is the first-line imaging. Young children have nonspecific symptoms and cannot localise pain, so perforation rates are high at presentation.

Why is "It is easily diagnosed on history" not the answer?

Diagnosis is difficult.

Why is "Perforation is rare" not the answer?

Perforation is common in this age group.

Why is "CT is always first-line" not the answer?

CT is not first-line in children.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Paediatric surgery: appendicitis in young children in General Surgery. Graded-compression ultrasound is the preferred first imaging to avoid radiation, with MRI or CT for equivocal cases.

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 Paediatric surgery: appendicitis in young children?

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.