Injuries and wounds: neonatal scalp swellings: practice question

A Forensic Medicine 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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Forensic Medicine · Injuries and wounds: neonatal scalp swellings

Sample item

A newborn has a scalp swelling noticed some hours after delivery. It increases gradually, is confined to the area of one parietal bone and does not cross the suture line. What is the lesion?

ACephalhaematomaBEncephaloceleCCaput succedaneumDSubgaleal haemorrhage

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Cephalhaematoma

A cephalhaematoma is a subperiosteal bleed, so it is limited by the suture lines and appears hours after birth. Caput succedaneum is present at birth, pits on pressure and crosses sutures. Subgaleal bleeding spreads widely across sutures.

Option by option

A. Cephalhaematoma (correct)
Correct. A swelling limited by the suture line is a subperiosteal cephalhaematoma.
B. Encephalocele
An encephalocele is a congenital herniation through a skull defect and not a gradually enlarging bleed.
C. Caput succedaneum
Caput succedaneum is maximal at birth, crosses sutures and resolves within days.
D. Subgaleal haemorrhage
Subgaleal haemorrhage lies beneath the aponeurosis and spreads across sutures.

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.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Cephalhaematoma. A cephalhaematoma is a subperiosteal bleed, so it is limited by the suture lines and appears hours after birth.

Why is "Encephalocele" not the answer?

An encephalocele is a congenital herniation through a skull defect and not a gradually enlarging bleed.

Why is "Caput succedaneum" not the answer?

Caput succedaneum is maximal at birth, crosses sutures and resolves within days.

Why is "Subgaleal haemorrhage" not the answer?

Subgaleal haemorrhage lies beneath the aponeurosis and spreads across sutures.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries and wounds: neonatal scalp swellings in Forensic Medicine. Caput succedaneum is present at birth, pits on pressure and crosses sutures. Subgaleal bleeding spreads widely across sutures.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Injuries and wounds: neonatal scalp swellings?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine 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.