Trauma and burns: nutrition after major burns: 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 · Trauma and burns: nutrition after major burns

Sample item

A 35-year-old man has 40 percent total body surface area burns and is intubated. What is the best approach to nutrition?

ACalorie restriction to reduce the catabolic responseBDelay all feeding until bowel sounds return after about five daysCTotal parenteral nutrition as the first-choice routeDEarly enteral feeding started within 24 hours

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Early enteral feeding started within 24 hours

Major burns cause a marked hypermetabolic and catabolic state. Early enteral feeding preserves gut mucosal integrity, reduces bacterial translocation and improves outcome. Parenteral nutrition is reserved for patients in whom the gut cannot be used.

Option by option

A. Calorie restriction to reduce the catabolic response
Restricting calories worsens protein loss and wound healing.
B. Delay all feeding until bowel sounds return after about five days
Delaying feeding worsens catabolism and increases the risk of gut barrier failure.
C. Total parenteral nutrition as the first-choice route
Parenteral feeding carries infection risk and is used only if enteral feeding fails.
D. Early enteral feeding started within 24 hours (correct)
Correct. Early enteral feeding meets the high energy demand and protects the gut barrier.

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 D, Early enteral feeding started within 24 hours. Major burns cause a marked hypermetabolic and catabolic state.

Why is "Calorie restriction to reduce the catabolic response" not the answer?

Restricting calories worsens protein loss and wound healing.

Why is "Delay all feeding until bowel sounds return after about five days" not the answer?

Delaying feeding worsens catabolism and increases the risk of gut barrier failure.

Why is "Total parenteral nutrition as the first-choice route" not the answer?

Parenteral feeding carries infection risk and is used only if enteral feeding fails.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma and burns: nutrition after major burns in General Surgery. Early enteral feeding preserves gut mucosal integrity, reduces bacterial translocation and improves outcome. Parenteral nutrition is reserved for patients in whom the gut cannot be used.

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 Trauma and burns: nutrition after major burns?

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.