Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies: cervical tear repair: practice question

A OBG 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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OBG · Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies: cervical tear repair

Sample item

A 3 cm bleeding laceration is found at the 3 o'clock position of the cervix after delivery. How should it be repaired?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Sutures starting just above the apex of the tear and working outward

A cervical tear is repaired with absorbable sutures, with the first stitch placed just above the apex so that a retracted bleeding vessel is secured. The cervix is held with sponge-holding forceps for exposure. Hysterectomy is reserved for tears that cannot be controlled.

Option by option

  • A. Vaginal packing alone, because cervical tears heal spontaneously

    Packing alone does not reliably control an actively bleeding cervical laceration.

  • B. Immediate hysterectomy

    Hysterectomy is a last resort for extensive or uncontrollable injuries, not for a 3 cm tear.

  • C. Sutures starting just above the apex of the tear and working outward (correct)

    Correct. Starting above the apex secures the retracted vessel at the top of the tear.

  • D. Sutures starting at the external os and working inward

    Starting at the os leaves the apical bleeding vessel unsecured.

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.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is C, Sutures starting just above the apex of the tear and working outward. A cervical tear is repaired with absorbable sutures, with the first stitch placed just above the apex so that a retracted bleeding vessel is secured.

Why is "Vaginal packing alone, because cervical tears heal spontaneously" not the answer?

Packing alone does not reliably control an actively bleeding cervical laceration.

Why is "Immediate hysterectomy" not the answer?

Hysterectomy is a last resort for extensive or uncontrollable injuries, not for a 3 cm tear.

Why is "Sutures starting at the external os and working inward" not the answer?

Starting at the os leaves the apical bleeding vessel unsecured.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies: cervical tear repair in OBG. The cervix is held with sponge-holding forceps for exposure. Hysterectomy is reserved for tears that cannot be controlled.

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 Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies: cervical tear repair?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG 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.