Joint disorders: practice question

A Orthopaedics 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.

Try it

Orthopaedics · Joint disorders

Sample item

A 60-year-old man with long-standing diabetic neuropathy has a swollen, warm, but painless midfoot with joint destruction, fragmentation and subluxation on radiographs. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Charcot neuro-arthropathy

Charcot joint is a progressive destructive arthropathy of a joint that has lost protective sensation and proprioception, seen in diabetes, tabes dorsalis and syringomyelia. Repeated unrecognised trauma leads to disorganisation, debris and deformity, and treatment is offloading with total contact casting.

Option by option

  • A. Septic arthritis

    Septic arthritis is intensely painful, with fever and a high white cell count.

  • B. Osteoarthritis

    Osteoarthritis causes pain with osteophytes and does not destroy and disorganise the joint in this way.

  • C. Gouty arthritis

    Gout is acutely painful with crystals and episodic attacks.

  • D. Charcot neuro-arthropathy (correct)

    Correct. A painless, destroyed, swollen joint in a neuropathic limb is classic.

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 Orthopaedics questions

Questions about this Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is D, Charcot neuro-arthropathy. Charcot joint is a progressive destructive arthropathy of a joint that has lost protective sensation and proprioception, seen in diabetes, tabes dorsalis and syringomyelia.

Why is "Septic arthritis" not the answer?

Septic arthritis is intensely painful, with fever and a high white cell count.

Why is "Osteoarthritis" not the answer?

Osteoarthritis causes pain with osteophytes and does not destroy and disorganise the joint in this way.

Why is "Gouty arthritis" not the answer?

Gout is acutely painful with crystals and episodic attacks.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Joint disorders in Orthopaedics. Repeated unrecognised trauma leads to disorganisation, debris and deformity, and treatment is offloading with total contact casting.

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 Joint disorders?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics 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.