Humeral shaft fractures: hanging cast: practice question

A Orthopaedics 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.

Try it

Orthopaedics · Humeral shaft fractures: hanging cast

Sample item

A 55-year-old has a displaced oblique fracture of the mid-shaft of the humerus with shortening. In which circumstance does a hanging cast act as a treatment?

AThe patient must lie flat in bed with the arm at the sideBThe weight of the cast applies traction and the patient remains upright or sitsCThe cast is used only for open fracturesDThe cast is placed after intramedullary nailing

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. The weight of the cast applies traction and the patient remains upright or sits

A hanging cast uses the weight of a long arm cast to provide continuous traction on the humerus through gravity. The patient must stay upright or semi-sitting, including during sleep. It suits oblique or spiral mid-shaft fractures with shortening.

Option by option

A. The patient must lie flat in bed with the arm at the side
Lying flat removes the gravitational traction that the cast depends on.
B. The weight of the cast applies traction and the patient remains upright or sits (correct)
Correct. Gravity-based traction needs the patient to sit or stand upright.
C. The cast is used only for open fractures
A hanging cast is not used in open fractures, which need debridement and fixation.
D. The cast is placed after intramedullary nailing
It is an alternative to surgery and not an adjunct after nailing.

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 Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is B, The weight of the cast applies traction and the patient remains upright or sits. A hanging cast uses the weight of a long arm cast to provide continuous traction on the humerus through gravity.

Why is "The patient must lie flat in bed with the arm at the side" not the answer?

Lying flat removes the gravitational traction that the cast depends on.

Why is "The cast is used only for open fractures" not the answer?

A hanging cast is not used in open fractures, which need debridement and fixation.

Why is "The cast is placed after intramedullary nailing" not the answer?

It is an alternative to surgery and not an adjunct after nailing.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Humeral shaft fractures: hanging cast in Orthopaedics. The patient must stay upright or semi-sitting, including during sleep. It suits oblique or spiral mid-shaft fractures with shortening.

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 Humeral shaft fractures: hanging cast?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics 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.