Embryology: ventricular septum: practice question

A Anatomy 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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Anatomy · Embryology: ventricular septum

Sample item

The most common congenital cardiac defect in children is a ventricular septal defect, usually located high in the septum. Which part of the septum fails to form?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Membranous part

The muscular interventricular septum grows upward from the floor, and the membranous part forms from the endocardial cushions and the fusion of the right and left bulbar ridges. Failure to close the interventricular foramen leaves a membranous defect, the most common type of VSD.

Option by option

  • A. Membranous part (correct)

    Correct. The membranous part is the usual site of VSD.

  • B. Septum primum

    Septum primum belongs to the atria.

  • C. Muscular part near the apex

    Apical muscular defects are rarer and may be multiple.

  • D. Interatrial septum

    The interatrial septum is unrelated to ventricular defects.

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 Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is A, Membranous part. The muscular interventricular septum grows upward from the floor, and the membranous part forms from the endocardial cushions and the fusion of the right and left bulbar ridges.

Why is "Septum primum" not the answer?

Septum primum belongs to the atria.

Why is "Muscular part near the apex" not the answer?

Apical muscular defects are rarer and may be multiple.

Why is "Interatrial septum" not the answer?

The interatrial septum is unrelated to ventricular defects.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Embryology: ventricular septum in Anatomy. Failure to close the interventricular foramen leaves a membranous defect, the most common type of VSD.

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 Embryology: ventricular septum?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy 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.