Gastrointestinal surgery: hidradenitis suppurativa: 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 · Gastrointestinal surgery: hidradenitis suppurativa

Sample item

A 25-year-old obese smoker has recurrent painful nodules, discharging sinuses and scarring in both axillae and groins. What is the underlying pathology?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Follicular occlusion in apocrine gland-bearing skin

Hidradenitis suppurativa results from follicular occlusion and inflammation in apocrine-bearing skin of the axillae, groin and perineum. Smoking and obesity worsen it. Severe chronic disease needs wide excision.

Option by option

  • A. Primary lymph node suppuration

    Lymph nodes are not primarily infected; the process is in the skin.

  • B. Sebaceous retention cysts

    Sebaceous cysts are single and do not form chains of sinuses in these sites.

  • C. Follicular occlusion in apocrine gland-bearing skin (correct)

    Correct. Occlusion of the follicle with secondary inflammation drives the disease.

  • D. Eccrine sweat gland tuberculosis

    Eccrine glands are not the site, and tuberculosis is not the cause.

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 C, Follicular occlusion in apocrine gland-bearing skin. Hidradenitis suppurativa results from follicular occlusion and inflammation in apocrine-bearing skin of the axillae, groin and perineum.

Why is "Primary lymph node suppuration" not the answer?

Lymph nodes are not primarily infected; the process is in the skin.

Why is "Sebaceous retention cysts" not the answer?

Sebaceous cysts are single and do not form chains of sinuses in these sites.

Why is "Eccrine sweat gland tuberculosis" not the answer?

Eccrine glands are not the site, and tuberculosis is not the cause.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Gastrointestinal surgery: hidradenitis suppurativa in General Surgery. Smoking and obesity worsen it. Severe chronic disease needs wide excision.

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 Gastrointestinal surgery: hidradenitis suppurativa?

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.