Head and neck: stellate ganglion block: 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.

Try it

Anatomy · Head and neck: stellate ganglion block

Sample item

A physician performs a stellate ganglion block for a painful arm and the patient develops sudden breathlessness and a collapsed lung. Which relation of the ganglion explains this complication?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Dome of the cervical pleura lies immediately below and behind it

The stellate (cervicothoracic) ganglion lies in front of the neck of the first rib and the transverse process of C7, with the vertebral artery in front. The cupola of the cervical pleura and apex of the lung lie immediately below and behind, so a needle placed too low can cause a pneumothorax.

Option by option

  • A. Isthmus of the thyroid gland lies directly in front of it

    The thyroid isthmus lies in the midline, far from the ganglion.

  • B. Thoracic duct passes in front of it on the left side

    The thoracic duct is at the left venous angle and is relevant to chylous leak, not pneumothorax.

  • C. Phrenic nerve crosses in front of it on scalenus anterior

    The phrenic nerve lies on scalenus anterior, relevant to hemidiaphragm paralysis.

  • D. Dome of the cervical pleura lies immediately below and behind it (correct)

    Correct. The cervical pleura and lung apex lie just below the ganglion, so a deep needle can cause pneumothorax.

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 D, Dome of the cervical pleura lies immediately below and behind it. The stellate (cervicothoracic) ganglion lies in front of the neck of the first rib and the transverse process of C7, with the vertebral artery in front.

Why is "Isthmus of the thyroid gland lies directly in front of it" not the answer?

The thyroid isthmus lies in the midline, far from the ganglion.

Why is "Thoracic duct passes in front of it on the left side" not the answer?

The thoracic duct is at the left venous angle and is relevant to chylous leak, not pneumothorax.

Why is "Phrenic nerve crosses in front of it on scalenus anterior" not the answer?

The phrenic nerve lies on scalenus anterior, relevant to hemidiaphragm paralysis.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck: stellate ganglion block in Anatomy. The cupola of the cervical pleura and apex of the lung lie immediately below and behind, so a needle placed too low can cause a pneumothorax.

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 Head and neck: stellate ganglion block?

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.