Nerve injuries: radial nerve at the axilla: 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 · Nerve injuries: radial nerve at the axilla

Sample item

A man who slept with his arm over a chair back wakes with wrist drop. Elbow extension is also weak. Where is the lesion?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. High, in the axilla or proximal to the triceps branches

Triceps branches leave the radial nerve in the axilla and upper arm. If the triceps is weak along with wrist drop, the lesion lies proximal to those branches, for example in crutch palsy. A spiral groove lesion spares the triceps.

Option by option

  • A. High, in the axilla or proximal to the triceps branches (correct)

    Correct. Involvement of triceps places the lesion at the axilla level.

  • B. In the spiral groove after triceps branches

    A spiral groove lesion spares triceps because its branches leave earlier.

  • C. At the wrist

    A wrist lesion would not cause wrist drop.

  • D. At the arcade of Frohse

    A lesion at the arcade of Frohse is posterior interosseous nerve compression and spares wrist extension.

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 Orthopaedics questions

Questions about this Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is A, High, in the axilla or proximal to the triceps branches. Triceps branches leave the radial nerve in the axilla and upper arm.

Why is "In the spiral groove after triceps branches" not the answer?

A spiral groove lesion spares triceps because its branches leave earlier.

Why is "At the wrist" not the answer?

A wrist lesion would not cause wrist drop.

Why is "At the arcade of Frohse" not the answer?

A lesion at the arcade of Frohse is posterior interosseous nerve compression and spares wrist extension.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Nerve injuries: radial nerve at the axilla in Orthopaedics. If the triceps is weak along with wrist drop, the lesion lies proximal to those branches, for example in crutch palsy. A spiral groove lesion spares the triceps.

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 Nerve injuries: radial nerve at the axilla?

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.