Trauma: splenic 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: splenic injury

Sample item

After blunt left-upper-quadrant trauma, a patient has left shoulder-tip pain and hypotension. Which organ injury is most likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Splenic rupture

Splenic injury can cause intraperitoneal bleeding and Kehr sign, referred pain to the left shoulder from diaphragmatic irritation. Unstable trauma patients require urgent hemorrhage-control assessment.

Option by option

  • A. Thyroid hemorrhage

    Thyroid hemorrhage is unrelated to abdominal trauma.

  • B. Appendiceal perforation

    Appendiceal perforation causes right-lower-quadrant pathology.

  • C. Bladder stone

    Bladder stones do not cause left shoulder referral.

  • D. Splenic rupture (correct)

    Correct. Left upper quadrant trauma and Kehr sign suggest splenic bleeding.

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 D, Splenic rupture. Splenic injury can cause intraperitoneal bleeding and Kehr sign, referred pain to the left shoulder from diaphragmatic irritation.

Why is "Thyroid hemorrhage" not the answer?

Thyroid hemorrhage is unrelated to abdominal trauma.

Why is "Appendiceal perforation" not the answer?

Appendiceal perforation causes right-lower-quadrant pathology.

Why is "Bladder stone" not the answer?

Bladder stones do not cause left shoulder referral.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma: splenic injury in General Surgery. Unstable trauma patients require urgent hemorrhage-control assessment.

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 Trauma: splenic 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.