Gastrointestinal surgery: Schatzki ring: 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 · Gastrointestinal surgery: Schatzki ring

Sample item

A 55-year-old man has recurrent episodes of sudden dysphagia when eating meat, relieved by regurgitation. He has no weight loss. Barium swallow shows a thin ring at the lower end of the oesophagus above a hiatus hernia. What is the likely diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Schatzki ring

A Schatzki ring is a thin mucosal ring at the squamocolumnar junction that causes intermittent dysphagia for solids, typically bolus impaction while eating meat. Treatment is dilatation, with acid suppression for associated reflux.

Option by option

  • A. Achalasia cardia

    Achalasia causes dysphagia for solids and liquids with a dilated oesophagus and a bird's beak taper.

  • B. Pharyngeal pouch

    A pharyngeal pouch causes regurgitation of undigested food and a gurgling neck swelling, with a pouch seen high in the neck.

  • C. Oesophageal carcinoma

    Carcinoma causes progressive dysphagia with weight loss and a stricture with shouldered edges.

  • D. Schatzki ring (correct)

    Correct. A thin lower oesophageal mucosal ring causes intermittent solid food dysphagia.

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, Schatzki ring. A Schatzki ring is a thin mucosal ring at the squamocolumnar junction that causes intermittent dysphagia for solids, typically bolus impaction while eating meat.

Why is "Achalasia cardia" not the answer?

Achalasia causes dysphagia for solids and liquids with a dilated oesophagus and a bird's beak taper.

Why is "Pharyngeal pouch" not the answer?

A pharyngeal pouch causes regurgitation of undigested food and a gurgling neck swelling, with a pouch seen high in the neck.

Why is "Oesophageal carcinoma" not the answer?

Carcinoma causes progressive dysphagia with weight loss and a stricture with shouldered edges.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Gastrointestinal surgery: Schatzki ring in General Surgery. Treatment is dilatation, with acid suppression for associated reflux.

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 Gastrointestinal surgery: Schatzki ring?

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.