Spleen: ITP surgery: 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.

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General Surgery · Spleen: ITP surgery

Sample item

A young woman with chronic immune thrombocytopenia relapses after steroid therapy and has bleeding symptoms. What surgical option is considered?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Splenectomy

Splenectomy induces remission in about two thirds of patients with steroid-refractory chronic ITP because the spleen is the main site of platelet destruction and antibody production. Vaccination before surgery is required. Thrombopoietin agonists and rituximab are alternatives.

Option by option

  • A. Splenectomy (correct)

    Correct. Splenectomy is an established option.

  • B. Hepatic resection

    Liver resection has no role.

  • C. Partial gastrectomy

    Gastrectomy is unrelated.

  • D. Thymectomy

    Thymectomy is not used in ITP.

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 General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Splenectomy. Splenectomy induces remission in about two thirds of patients with steroid-refractory chronic ITP because the spleen is the main site of platelet destruction and antibody production.

Why is "Hepatic resection" not the answer?

Liver resection has no role.

Why is "Partial gastrectomy" not the answer?

Gastrectomy is unrelated.

Why is "Thymectomy" not the answer?

Thymectomy is not used in ITP.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Spleen: ITP surgery in General Surgery. Vaccination before surgery is required. Thrombopoietin agonists and rituximab are alternatives.

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 Spleen: ITP surgery?

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.