Injuries and wounds: depth of burn: 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.

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Forensic Medicine · Injuries and wounds: depth of burn

Sample item

A burn on the forearm of a man trapped in a fire appears white and leathery with thrombosed vessels visible beneath it. The patient feels no pain when it is pricked with a pin. What is the depth of this burn?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Full thickness

A full-thickness burn destroys the epidermis, the entire dermis and the nerve endings, so it is dry, white or charred and leathery, and insensate. It does not heal by regeneration and needs grafting. Superficial burns are painful and moist, with blisters.

Option by option

  • A. Full thickness (correct)

    Correct. A dry, leathery, painless burn with thrombosed vessels is a full-thickness burn.

  • B. Superficial partial thickness

    A superficial partial-thickness burn is moist, pink, blistered and very painful.

  • C. Superficial epidermal

    A superficial epidermal burn is red and dry without blisters, and is painful.

  • D. Deep partial thickness

    A deep partial-thickness burn is mottled and has reduced sensation, but it is not parchment-like with visible thrombosed vessels.

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 Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Full thickness. A full-thickness burn destroys the epidermis, the entire dermis and the nerve endings, so it is dry, white or charred and leathery, and insensate.

Why is "Superficial partial thickness" not the answer?

A superficial partial-thickness burn is moist, pink, blistered and very painful.

Why is "Superficial epidermal" not the answer?

A superficial epidermal burn is red and dry without blisters, and is painful.

Why is "Deep partial thickness" not the answer?

A deep partial-thickness burn is mottled and has reduced sensation, but it is not parchment-like with visible thrombosed vessels.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries and wounds: depth of burn in Forensic Medicine. It does not heal by regeneration and needs grafting. Superficial burns are painful and moist, with blisters.

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: depth of burn?

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.