Trauma and burns: retained haemothorax: 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 and burns: retained haemothorax

Sample item

A man had a chest drain for traumatic haemothorax. After a week he has fever, and chest CT shows a persistent loculated collection with partial lung entrapment. What is the best treatment?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Video-assisted thoracoscopic evacuation

Retained haemothorax risks empyema and a trapped lung. Early VATS evacuation clears clot and loculations when drainage fails.

Option by option

  • A. Larger bore chest tube alone

    Another tube does not break down loculations.

  • B. Observation with oral antibiotics only

    Antibiotics alone leave the clot and lung entrapment.

  • C. Video-assisted thoracoscopic evacuation (correct)

    Correct. VATS evacuates loculated retained blood and prevents empyema.

  • D. Repeat needle aspiration weekly

    Needle aspiration cannot clear a clotted loculated collection.

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, Video-assisted thoracoscopic evacuation. Retained haemothorax risks empyema and a trapped lung.

Why is "Larger bore chest tube alone" not the answer?

Another tube does not break down loculations.

Why is "Observation with oral antibiotics only" not the answer?

Antibiotics alone leave the clot and lung entrapment.

Why is "Repeat needle aspiration weekly" not the answer?

Needle aspiration cannot clear a clotted loculated collection.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Trauma and burns: retained haemothorax in General Surgery. Early VATS evacuation clears clot and loculations when drainage fails.

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 and burns: retained haemothorax?

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.