Trauma: open pneumothorax: 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 · Trauma: open pneumothorax

Sample item

A stab wound leaves a 3 cm sucking chest wound with air hissing in and out. What is the immediate treatment?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Occlusive dressing taped on three sides, then a chest drain at a separate site

A defect larger than two-thirds of the tracheal diameter allows air to enter in preference to the airway, causing an open (sucking) pneumothorax. A three-sided dressing works as a flutter valve, and a chest tube is placed away from the wound before definitive closure. A four-sided seal risks conversion to tension pneumothorax.

Option by option

  • A. Occlusive dressing taped on three sides, then a chest drain at a separate site (correct)

    Correct. A flutter-valve dressing and a separate drain are standard.

  • B. Complete airtight dressing on all four sides

    A fully sealed dressing can cause tension pneumothorax.

  • C. Packing the wound with gauze

    Packing does not provide a valve and can trap air.

  • D. Immediate thoracotomy

    Thoracotomy is not the first step.

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, Occlusive dressing taped on three sides, then a chest drain at a separate site. A defect larger than two-thirds of the tracheal diameter allows air to enter in preference to the airway, causing an open (sucking) pneumothorax.

Why is "Complete airtight dressing on all four sides" not the answer?

A fully sealed dressing can cause tension pneumothorax.

Why is "Packing the wound with gauze" not the answer?

Packing does not provide a valve and can trap air.

Why is "Immediate thoracotomy" not the answer?

Thoracotomy is not the first step.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma: open pneumothorax in General Surgery. A three-sided dressing works as a flutter valve, and a chest tube is placed away from the wound before definitive closure. A four-sided seal risks conversion to tension pneumothorax.

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 Trauma: open pneumothorax?

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.