Bowel obstruction: 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 · Bowel obstruction

Sample item

What is an important initial management step in suspected bowel obstruction?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Fluid resuscitation and urgent surgical assessment

Bowel obstruction can cause dehydration, electrolyte disturbance, and ischaemia, so resuscitation, assessment, imaging, and surgical input are priorities.

Option by option

  • A. Give a large meal to test tolerance

    Eating can worsen vomiting and aspiration risk.

  • B. Delay all examination for 24 hours

    Delay can miss strangulation or perforation.

  • C. Start topical corticosteroids

    Topical steroids do not treat obstruction.

  • D. Fluid resuscitation and urgent surgical assessment (correct)

    Correct: resuscitation and early review address serious complications.

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 D, Fluid resuscitation and urgent surgical assessment. Bowel obstruction can cause dehydration, electrolyte disturbance, and ischaemia, so resuscitation, assessment, imaging, and surgical input are priorities.

Why is "Give a large meal to test tolerance" not the answer?

Eating can worsen vomiting and aspiration risk.

Why is "Delay all examination for 24 hours" not the answer?

Delay can miss strangulation or perforation.

Why is "Start topical corticosteroids" not the answer?

Topical steroids do not treat obstruction.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Bowel obstruction in General Surgery. The correct option holds because: Correct: resuscitation and early review address serious complications.

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 Bowel obstruction?

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.