Wound 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 · Wound care

Sample item

Which feature suggests a surgical wound infection?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Increasing redness, warmth, pain, and purulent discharge

Increasing inflammatory signs and purulent discharge can indicate wound infection and should prompt clinical assessment for source control and antimicrobial need.

Option by option

  • A. A dry clean scar with reducing tenderness

    A healing clean scar is reassuring.

  • B. Increasing redness, warmth, pain, and purulent discharge (correct)

    Correct: progressive local inflammation and pus are concerning.

  • C. A healed incision without drainage

    A healed incision does not suggest infection.

  • D. Mild bruising that is improving

    Improving bruising is common after surgery.

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, Increasing redness, warmth, pain, and purulent discharge. Increasing inflammatory signs and purulent discharge can indicate wound infection and should prompt clinical assessment for source control and antimicrobial need.

Why is "A dry clean scar with reducing tenderness" not the answer?

A healing clean scar is reassuring.

Why is "A healed incision without drainage" not the answer?

A healed incision does not suggest infection.

Why is "Mild bruising that is improving" not the answer?

Improving bruising is common after surgery.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Wound care in General Surgery. The correct option holds because: Correct: progressive local inflammation and pus are concerning.

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 Wound 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.