Surgical infections: wound classification: 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 · Surgical infections: wound classification

Sample item

A patient has an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy in which the gallbladder is opened without gross spillage. How is this wound classified, and when is antibiotic prophylaxis given?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Clean-contaminated, with a single dose within 60 minutes before incision

A clean-contaminated wound is created when a hollow viscus of the respiratory, alimentary, genital or urinary tract is entered under controlled conditions without unusual contamination. Prophylactic antibiotics should be given within 60 minutes before the incision, so that tissue levels are adequate, and not continued beyond 24 hours.

Option by option

  • A. Dirty, with prophylaxis after the operation

    Dirty wounds involve pus or perforated viscera and need treatment, not post-operative prophylaxis.

  • B. Clean, with no prophylaxis

    A clean wound does not involve entry into a hollow viscus.

  • C. Contaminated, with 7 days of antibiotics

    Contaminated wounds involve gross spillage or acute non-purulent inflammation, and prophylaxis is not prolonged to a week.

  • D. Clean-contaminated, with a single dose within 60 minutes before incision (correct)

    Correct. Controlled entry of the biliary tract is clean-contaminated, and timing before incision matters.

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, Clean-contaminated, with a single dose within 60 minutes before incision. A clean-contaminated wound is created when a hollow viscus of the respiratory, alimentary, genital or urinary tract is entered under controlled conditions without unusual contamination.

Why is "Dirty, with prophylaxis after the operation" not the answer?

Dirty wounds involve pus or perforated viscera and need treatment, not post-operative prophylaxis.

Why is "Clean, with no prophylaxis" not the answer?

A clean wound does not involve entry into a hollow viscus.

Why is "Contaminated, with 7 days of antibiotics" not the answer?

Contaminated wounds involve gross spillage or acute non-purulent inflammation, and prophylaxis is not prolonged to a week.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Surgical infections: wound classification in General Surgery. Prophylactic antibiotics should be given within 60 minutes before the incision, so that tissue levels are adequate, and not continued beyond 24 hours.

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 Surgical infections: wound classification?

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.