Trauma: spinal injury: 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 · Trauma: spinal injury

Sample item

A trauma patient has hypotension, bradycardia, warm dry skin, and a high cervical spinal injury. What type of shock is most likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Neurogenic shock

Neurogenic shock from high spinal cord injury causes loss of sympathetic tone, producing hypotension with relative bradycardia and warm skin. Hemorrhagic shock usually causes tachycardia and cool peripheries.

Option by option

  • A. Hemorrhagic shock

    Hemorrhage generally produces tachycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction.

  • B. Neurogenic shock (correct)

    Correct. Sympathetic disruption explains this hemodynamic pattern.

  • C. Septic shock

    Sepsis can cause warm shock but the spinal injury and bradycardia point elsewhere.

  • D. Cardiogenic shock

    Cardiogenic shock usually causes cool peripheries and pulmonary congestion.

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, Neurogenic shock. Neurogenic shock from high spinal cord injury causes loss of sympathetic tone, producing hypotension with relative bradycardia and warm skin.

Why is "Hemorrhagic shock" not the answer?

Hemorrhage generally produces tachycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction.

Why is "Septic shock" not the answer?

Sepsis can cause warm shock but the spinal injury and bradycardia point elsewhere.

Why is "Cardiogenic shock" not the answer?

Cardiogenic shock usually causes cool peripheries and pulmonary congestion.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma: spinal injury in General Surgery. Hemorrhagic shock usually causes tachycardia and cool peripheries.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Trauma: spinal injury?

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.