Vascular surgery: diabetic foot: 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 · Vascular surgery: diabetic foot

Sample item

A diabetic man has a painless punched-out plantar ulcer under the first metatarsal head. The foot is warm with palpable pulses and reduced sensation. What is the most important component of management?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Offloading with debridement and infection control

A neuropathic ulcer develops at pressure points due to loss of protective sensation, with preserved circulation. Healing requires offloading by total contact casting, sharp debridement, infection treatment and glycaemic control. Revascularisation applies to neuroischaemic ulcers.

Option by option

  • A. Offloading with debridement and infection control (correct)

    Correct. Pressure relief and debridement heal neuropathic ulcers.

  • B. Topical steroid

    Steroids impair healing.

  • C. Rest in bed with compression bandage

    Compression is not indicated.

  • D. Immediate bypass surgery

    Pulses are normal, so bypass is not needed.

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 General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is A, Offloading with debridement and infection control. A neuropathic ulcer develops at pressure points due to loss of protective sensation, with preserved circulation.

Why is "Topical steroid" not the answer?

Steroids impair healing.

Why is "Rest in bed with compression bandage" not the answer?

Compression is not indicated.

Why is "Immediate bypass surgery" not the answer?

Pulses are normal, so bypass is not needed.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Vascular surgery: diabetic foot in General Surgery. Healing requires offloading by total contact casting, sharp debridement, infection treatment and glycaemic control. Revascularisation applies to neuroischaemic ulcers.

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 Vascular surgery: diabetic foot?

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.