Vascular surgery: 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 · Vascular surgery

Sample item

Which symptom pattern is most consistent with acute limb ischemia?

ASudden painful pale cold limb with reduced pulsesBWarm swollen calf after a long flightCGradual bilateral ankle oedemaDItchy scaly plaque on the elbow

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Sudden painful pale cold limb with reduced pulses

Acute arterial occlusion can cause the classic ischemic features of pain, pallor, pulselessness, paraesthesia, paralysis, and poikilothermia; it requires immediate vascular assessment to salvage the limb.

Option by option

A. Sudden painful pale cold limb with reduced pulses (correct)
Correct: sudden cold pulseless limb strongly suggests acute arterial ischemia.
B. Warm swollen calf after a long flight
A warm swollen calf is more suggestive of venous thrombosis.
C. Gradual bilateral ankle oedema
Gradual ankle oedema has many chronic venous or cardiac causes.
D. Itchy scaly plaque on the elbow
An itchy elbow plaque is a dermatologic presentation.

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, Sudden painful pale cold limb with reduced pulses. Acute arterial occlusion can cause the classic ischemic features of pain, pallor, pulselessness, paraesthesia, paralysis, and poikilothermia; it requires immediate vascular assessment to salvage the limb.

Why is "Warm swollen calf after a long flight" not the answer?

A warm swollen calf is more suggestive of venous thrombosis.

Why is "Gradual bilateral ankle oedema" not the answer?

Gradual ankle oedema has many chronic venous or cardiac causes.

Why is "Itchy scaly plaque on the elbow" not the answer?

An itchy elbow plaque is a dermatologic presentation.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vascular surgery in General Surgery. The correct option holds because: Correct: sudden cold pulseless limb strongly suggests acute arterial ischemia.

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 Vascular surgery?

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.