Urology: balanitis xerotica obliterans: 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 · Urology: balanitis xerotica obliterans

Sample item

A 9-year-old boy has a white, scarred, non-retractile foreskin with narrowing of the urethral meatus. Which condition is this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Balanitis xerotica obliterans (lichen sclerosus)

Balanitis xerotica obliterans is lichen sclerosus of the glans and foreskin, producing white scarring, a pathological phimosis and meatal stenosis. Circumcision is the treatment. Physiological phimosis does not scar.

Option by option

  • A. Balanoposthitis

    Balanoposthitis is acute infection with redness and discharge.

  • B. Carcinoma of the penis

    Penile carcinoma is rare in children and presents as an ulcer or mass.

  • C. Balanitis xerotica obliterans (lichen sclerosus) (correct)

    Correct. White fibrotic scarring with meatal narrowing is typical.

  • D. Physiological phimosis

    Physiological phimosis is a soft foreskin that loosens with age.

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, Balanitis xerotica obliterans (lichen sclerosus). Balanitis xerotica obliterans is lichen sclerosus of the glans and foreskin, producing white scarring, a pathological phimosis and meatal stenosis.

Why is "Balanoposthitis" not the answer?

Balanoposthitis is acute infection with redness and discharge.

Why is "Carcinoma of the penis" not the answer?

Penile carcinoma is rare in children and presents as an ulcer or mass.

Why is "Physiological phimosis" not the answer?

Physiological phimosis is a soft foreskin that loosens with age.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Urology: balanitis xerotica obliterans in General Surgery. Circumcision is the treatment. Physiological phimosis does not scar.

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 Urology: balanitis xerotica obliterans?

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.