Perioperative care: perioperative needle-stick injury: 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.

Try it

General Surgery · Perioperative care: perioperative needle-stick injury

Sample item

A surgeon who has never been vaccinated against hepatitis B sustains a deep needle-stick injury from a needle used on an HBsAg-positive patient. What is the most appropriate management?

AHepatitis B vaccine aloneBHepatitis B immunoglobulin and start the vaccine seriesCObservation with later serology onlyDInterferon therapy

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Hepatitis B immunoglobulin and start the vaccine series

A non-immune exposed person needs passive and active immunisation, with hepatitis B immunoglobulin given as soon as possible and the vaccine series started at the same time at a different site. The wound is washed and bleeding encouraged, and baseline serology is documented.

Option by option

A. Hepatitis B vaccine alone
Vaccine alone is slower to provide protection in a high-risk exposure of a non-immune person.
B. Hepatitis B immunoglobulin and start the vaccine series (correct)
Correct. Non-immune exposure to a positive source needs both immunoglobulin and vaccine.
C. Observation with later serology only
Observation with delayed testing misses the window for effective prophylaxis.
D. Interferon therapy
Interferon is a treatment for established chronic infection and not for post-exposure prophylaxis.

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 B, Hepatitis B immunoglobulin and start the vaccine series. A non-immune exposed person needs passive and active immunisation, with hepatitis B immunoglobulin given as soon as possible and the vaccine series started at the same time at a different site.

Why is "Hepatitis B vaccine alone" not the answer?

Vaccine alone is slower to provide protection in a high-risk exposure of a non-immune person.

Why is "Observation with later serology only" not the answer?

Observation with delayed testing misses the window for effective prophylaxis.

Why is "Interferon therapy" not the answer?

Interferon is a treatment for established chronic infection and not for post-exposure prophylaxis.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Perioperative care: perioperative needle-stick injury in General Surgery. The wound is washed and bleeding encouraged, and baseline serology is documented.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Perioperative care: perioperative needle-stick injury?

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.