Peripheral nerve injuries: carpal tunnel in pregnancy: practice question

A Orthopaedics 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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Orthopaedics · Peripheral nerve injuries: carpal tunnel in pregnancy

Sample item

A woman in her third trimester has night-time tingling in the median nerve distribution of both hands with no wasting. What is the best initial management?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Night wrist splints in a neutral position and reassurance

Carpal tunnel syndrome is common in pregnancy because of fluid retention, and it usually settles after delivery. Neutral-position splinting at night, with reassurance, is the first-line treatment, and surgery is kept for persistent or severe cases with wasting.

Option by option

  • A. Stop all hand use

    Complete rest of the hands is unnecessary and impractical.

  • B. Immediate surgical decompression

    Surgery is premature when symptoms are mild and likely to resolve after childbirth.

  • C. Night wrist splints in a neutral position and reassurance (correct)

    Correct. Splints control symptoms, and the condition often resolves after delivery.

  • D. Oral steroids for 3 months

    Prolonged oral steroids are not appropriate for this problem.

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 Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is C, Night wrist splints in a neutral position and reassurance. Carpal tunnel syndrome is common in pregnancy because of fluid retention, and it usually settles after delivery.

Why is "Stop all hand use" not the answer?

Complete rest of the hands is unnecessary and impractical.

Why is "Immediate surgical decompression" not the answer?

Surgery is premature when symptoms are mild and likely to resolve after childbirth.

Why is "Oral steroids for 3 months" not the answer?

Prolonged oral steroids are not appropriate for this problem.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Peripheral nerve injuries: carpal tunnel in pregnancy in Orthopaedics. Neutral-position splinting at night, with reassurance, is the first-line treatment, and surgery is kept for persistent or severe cases with wasting.

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 Peripheral nerve injuries: carpal tunnel in pregnancy?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics 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.