Trauma: head injury assessment: 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: head injury assessment

Sample item

A man after a road traffic accident opens his eyes to pain, speaks in confused sentences and localises pain with his hand. What is his Glasgow Coma Scale score?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. 11

Eye opening to pain scores 2, confused speech scores 4 and localising to pain scores 5. The total is 11, which is a moderate head injury (9 to 12). Scores of 8 or less indicate severe injury and a need to protect the airway.

Option by option

  • A. 9

    This undercounts the components, since eye, verbal and motor scores add up to more than 9.

  • B. 11 (correct)

    Correct. 2 + 4 + 5 = 11.

  • C. 13

    This overcounts the components; the three responses described do not add up to 13.

  • D. 15

    A score of 15 requires spontaneous eye opening, orientation and obeying commands.

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 B, 11. Eye opening to pain scores 2, confused speech scores 4 and localising to pain scores 5.

Why is "9" not the answer?

This undercounts the components, since eye, verbal and motor scores add up to more than 9.

Why is "13" not the answer?

This overcounts the components; the three responses described do not add up to 13.

Why is "15" not the answer?

A score of 15 requires spontaneous eye opening, orientation and obeying commands.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma: head injury assessment in General Surgery. The total is 11, which is a moderate head injury (9 to 12). Scores of 8 or less indicate severe injury and a need to protect the airway.

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: head injury assessment?

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.