Injuries and wounds: inhalation injury: practice question

A Forensic Medicine 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

Forensic Medicine · Injuries and wounds: inhalation injury

Sample item

A man rescued from a closed-room fire has singed nasal hair, soot around the mouth, hoarseness and carbonaceous sputum. He is still talking. What is the best next step?

AEarly endotracheal intubationBChest physiotherapy and mobilisationCOral fluids and antibioticsDObservation until stridor appears

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Early endotracheal intubation

Features of inhalation injury such as hoarseness, singed nasal hair and carbonaceous sputum predict progressive oedema of the upper airway. Airway swelling can occlude the glottis within hours and make later intubation impossible, so early intubation is advised. Waiting for stridor risks a lost airway.

Option by option

A. Early endotracheal intubation (correct)
Correct. A threatened airway is secured early, before oedema obstructs it.
B. Chest physiotherapy and mobilisation
Physiotherapy does not protect the airway in the first hours after thermal injury.
C. Oral fluids and antibiotics
Oral fluids and antibiotics do not treat the danger of airway obstruction.
D. Observation until stridor appears
Waiting for stridor allows oedema to progress until intubation becomes difficult.

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.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Early endotracheal intubation. Features of inhalation injury such as hoarseness, singed nasal hair and carbonaceous sputum predict progressive oedema of the upper airway.

Why is "Chest physiotherapy and mobilisation" not the answer?

Physiotherapy does not protect the airway in the first hours after thermal injury.

Why is "Oral fluids and antibiotics" not the answer?

Oral fluids and antibiotics do not treat the danger of airway obstruction.

Why is "Observation until stridor appears" not the answer?

Waiting for stridor allows oedema to progress until intubation becomes difficult.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries and wounds: inhalation injury in Forensic Medicine. Airway swelling can occlude the glottis within hours and make later intubation impossible, so early intubation is advised. Waiting for stridor risks a lost airway.

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 Injuries and wounds: inhalation injury?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine 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.