Biliary: gallbladder polyp: 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 · Biliary: gallbladder polyp

Sample item

A 52-year-old asymptomatic man has a solitary 12 mm sessile polyp in the gallbladder on routine ultrasound, with no stones. What is the best management?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Most gallbladder polyps are benign cholesterol polyps, but size over 10 mm, a solitary sessile lesion, growth, age over 50 and associated stones raise the chance of adenocarcinoma. Cholecystectomy is advised for polyps of 10 mm or more. Smaller polyps are followed with serial ultrasound.

Option by option

  • A. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (correct)

    Correct. A polyp of 10 mm or more carries malignant risk and warrants cholecystectomy.

  • B. Repeat ultrasound in 5 years

    A five-year interval is too long for a lesion of this size and risk profile.

  • C. Endoscopic polypectomy by ERCP

    Endoscopic polypectomy is not possible in the gallbladder through ERCP.

  • D. Reassurance and discharge

    Reassurance is appropriate only for very small polyps, not for one over 10 mm.

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 General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Most gallbladder polyps are benign cholesterol polyps, but size over 10 mm, a solitary sessile lesion, growth, age over 50 and associated stones raise the chance of adenocarcinoma.

Why is "Repeat ultrasound in 5 years" not the answer?

A five-year interval is too long for a lesion of this size and risk profile.

Why is "Endoscopic polypectomy by ERCP" not the answer?

Endoscopic polypectomy is not possible in the gallbladder through ERCP.

Why is "Reassurance and discharge" not the answer?

Reassurance is appropriate only for very small polyps, not for one over 10 mm.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Biliary: gallbladder polyp in General Surgery. Cholecystectomy is advised for polyps of 10 mm or more. Smaller polyps are followed with serial ultrasound.

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 Biliary: gallbladder polyp?

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.