Amputation: below-knee level: 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 · Amputation: below-knee level

Sample item

For a below-knee amputation in an adult, at what level is the tibia ideally divided?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. About 10 to 15 cm below the tibial tuberosity

A stump length of about 10 to 15 cm below the tibial tuberosity gives a good lever for a prosthesis while retaining the knee. A longer stump in the distal third has poor soft tissue cover and blood supply. The fibula is cut about 1 to 2 cm shorter than the tibia.

Option by option

  • A. At the ankle joint

    A division at the ankle is a Syme amputation, a different procedure.

  • B. At the lower third of the tibia

    The distal third has poor blood supply and cover.

  • C. At the tibial tuberosity

    At the tuberosity there would be a stump too short for a good prosthetic lever.

  • D. About 10 to 15 cm below the tibial tuberosity (correct)

    Correct. About 10 to 15 cm is ideal.

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 D, About 10 to 15 cm below the tibial tuberosity. A stump length of about 10 to 15 cm below the tibial tuberosity gives a good lever for a prosthesis while retaining the knee.

Why is "At the ankle joint" not the answer?

A division at the ankle is a Syme amputation, a different procedure.

Why is "At the lower third of the tibia" not the answer?

The distal third has poor blood supply and cover.

Why is "At the tibial tuberosity" not the answer?

At the tuberosity there would be a stump too short for a good prosthetic lever.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Amputation: below-knee level in Orthopaedics. A longer stump in the distal third has poor soft tissue cover and blood supply. The fibula is cut about 1 to 2 cm shorter than the tibia.

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 Amputation: below-knee level?

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.