Vascular surgery: nerve injury after vein stripping: 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 · Vascular surgery: nerve injury after vein stripping

Sample item

A 45-year-old woman has varicose vein stripping carried down to the ankle. Afterwards she notices numbness along the medial border of the lower leg and foot. Which nerve was most likely injured?

ASaphenous nerve, a branch of the femoral nerveBSural nerve, which runs with the short saphenous veinCTibial nerve, behind the medial malleolusDSuperficial peroneal nerve, over the lateral leg

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Saphenous nerve, a branch of the femoral nerve

The great saphenous vein runs with the saphenous nerve below the knee, so stripping to the ankle can injure it and leave a patch of numbness on the medial leg and foot. This is the reason many surgeons strip only to the knee or use endovenous methods.

Option by option

A. Saphenous nerve, a branch of the femoral nerve (correct)
Correct. The saphenous nerve supplies skin of the medial leg and foot and lies alongside the great saphenous vein below the knee.
B. Sural nerve, which runs with the short saphenous vein
The sural nerve supplies the lateral foot and accompanies the short saphenous vein, so it is a risk in short saphenous surgery.
C. Tibial nerve, behind the medial malleolus
The tibial nerve gives sensation to the sole of the foot and is not related to the great saphenous vein.
D. Superficial peroneal nerve, over the lateral leg
The superficial peroneal nerve supplies the lateral leg and dorsum of the foot, not the medial border.

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 General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Saphenous nerve, a branch of the femoral nerve. The great saphenous vein runs with the saphenous nerve below the knee, so stripping to the ankle can injure it and leave a patch of numbness on the medial leg and foot.

Why is "Sural nerve, which runs with the short saphenous vein" not the answer?

The sural nerve supplies the lateral foot and accompanies the short saphenous vein, so it is a risk in short saphenous surgery.

Why is "Tibial nerve, behind the medial malleolus" not the answer?

The tibial nerve gives sensation to the sole of the foot and is not related to the great saphenous vein.

Why is "Superficial peroneal nerve, over the lateral leg" not the answer?

The superficial peroneal nerve supplies the lateral leg and dorsum of the foot, not the medial border.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vascular surgery: nerve injury after vein stripping in General Surgery. This is the reason many surgeons strip only to the knee or use endovenous methods.

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 Vascular surgery: nerve injury after vein stripping?

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.