Burns: Curling ulcer: 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 · Burns: Curling ulcer

Sample item

A patient with 45 percent burns develops painless upper gastrointestinal bleeding on day 5. Which ulcer is typically associated with major burns?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Curling ulcer in the stomach or duodenum

Curling ulcers are stress ulcers from mucosal ischaemia and increased acid secretion after severe burns. Prophylaxis with a proton pump inhibitor and early enteral feeding reduces incidence. Cushing ulcers occur with raised intracranial pressure.

Option by option

  • A. Marjolin ulcer

    Marjolin ulcer is a malignant change in a chronic scar.

  • B. Curling ulcer in the stomach or duodenum (correct)

    Correct. Severe burns lead to Curling ulcers.

  • C. Meleney ulcer

    Meleney ulcer is progressive bacterial gangrene.

  • D. Cushing ulcer from head injury

    Cushing ulcers follow intracranial injury.

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 B, Curling ulcer in the stomach or duodenum. Curling ulcers are stress ulcers from mucosal ischaemia and increased acid secretion after severe burns.

Why is "Marjolin ulcer" not the answer?

Marjolin ulcer is a malignant change in a chronic scar.

Why is "Meleney ulcer" not the answer?

Meleney ulcer is progressive bacterial gangrene.

Why is "Cushing ulcer from head injury" not the answer?

Cushing ulcers follow intracranial injury.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Burns: Curling ulcer in General Surgery. Prophylaxis with a proton pump inhibitor and early enteral feeding reduces incidence. Cushing ulcers occur with raised intracranial pressure.

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 Burns: Curling ulcer?

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.