Postoperative care: 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 · Postoperative care

Sample item

Which discharge symptom after abdominal surgery should prompt urgent review?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Worsening pain with fever

Worsening abdominal pain with fever can indicate infection, leak, abscess, or another postoperative complication and warrants prompt clinical assessment.

Option by option

  • A. Temporary appetite variation

    Short-term appetite variation can occur after surgery.

  • B. Worsening pain with fever (correct)

    Correct: escalating pain with fever is a postoperative red flag.

  • C. Mild fatigue improving daily

    Gradually improving fatigue is common during recovery.

  • D. Brief incision itch

    Mild healing itch alone is usually less concerning than fever and worsening pain.

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 B, Worsening pain with fever. Worsening abdominal pain with fever can indicate infection, leak, abscess, or another postoperative complication and warrants prompt clinical assessment.

Why is "Temporary appetite variation" not the answer?

Short-term appetite variation can occur after surgery.

Why is "Mild fatigue improving daily" not the answer?

Gradually improving fatigue is common during recovery.

Why is "Brief incision itch" not the answer?

Mild healing itch alone is usually less concerning than fever and worsening pain.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Postoperative care in General Surgery. The correct option holds because: Correct: escalating pain with fever is a postoperative red flag.

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 Postoperative care?

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.