Pediatric surgery: intussusception: 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 · Pediatric surgery: intussusception

Sample item

A 10-month-old has episodic colicky crying, vomits, draws the knees up, and passes red currant-jelly stool. Which diagnosis is most likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Intussusception

Intussusception is telescoping of bowel into distal bowel and commonly presents in infancy with intermittent pain, vomiting, and later bloody mucoid stool. Ultrasound is a useful diagnostic test and air or contrast enema may be therapeutic in appropriate cases.

Option by option

  • A. Hirschsprung disease

    Hirschsprung disease usually presents with delayed meconium or chronic obstructive symptoms.

  • B. Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis

    Pyloric stenosis causes progressive nonbilious projectile vomiting in early infancy.

  • C. Intussusception (correct)

    Correct. The intermittent colic with currant-jelly stool is a classic pattern.

  • D. Incarcerated inguinal hernia

    An incarcerated hernia causes an irreducible groin mass rather than the classic stool description.

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.

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Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is C, Intussusception. Intussusception is telescoping of bowel into distal bowel and commonly presents in infancy with intermittent pain, vomiting, and later bloody mucoid stool.

Why is "Hirschsprung disease" not the answer?

Hirschsprung disease usually presents with delayed meconium or chronic obstructive symptoms.

Why is "Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis" not the answer?

Pyloric stenosis causes progressive nonbilious projectile vomiting in early infancy.

Why is "Incarcerated inguinal hernia" not the answer?

An incarcerated hernia causes an irreducible groin mass rather than the classic stool description.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Pediatric surgery: intussusception in General Surgery. Ultrasound is a useful diagnostic test and air or contrast enema may be therapeutic in appropriate cases.

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 Pediatric surgery: intussusception?

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.