Upper limb and brachial plexus: carrying angle: 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 · Upper limb and brachial plexus: carrying angle

Sample item

A girl with Turner syndrome has an increased carrying angle at the elbow when the forearm is extended and supinated. What is the term for this deformity?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Cubitus valgus

The carrying angle is the lateral angulation of the extended, supinated forearm away from the arm. It is greater in females. An increased angle is cubitus valgus, seen in Turner syndrome, and it can stretch the ulnar nerve over time.

Option by option

  • A. Cubitus recurvatus

    This is hyperextension of the elbow beyond the normal range, not a change in carrying angle.

  • B. Cubitus valgus (correct)

    Correct. An increased lateral angulation of the forearm is cubitus valgus.

  • C. Gunstock deformity

    This is another name for cubitus varus, which follows a malunited supracondylar fracture.

  • D. Cubitus varus

    This is a reduced or reversed carrying angle, with the forearm angled towards the midline.

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 Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is B, Cubitus valgus. The carrying angle is the lateral angulation of the extended, supinated forearm away from the arm.

Why is "Cubitus recurvatus" not the answer?

This is hyperextension of the elbow beyond the normal range, not a change in carrying angle.

Why is "Gunstock deformity" not the answer?

This is another name for cubitus varus, which follows a malunited supracondylar fracture.

Why is "Cubitus varus" not the answer?

This is a reduced or reversed carrying angle, with the forearm angled towards the midline.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Upper limb and brachial plexus: carrying angle in Anatomy. It is greater in females. An increased angle is cubitus valgus, seen in Turner syndrome, and it can stretch the ulnar nerve over time.

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 Upper limb and brachial plexus: carrying angle?

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.