Hepatobiliary: 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 · Hepatobiliary

Sample item

A young man from an endemic region has fever, right upper quadrant pain and a solitary abscess in the right lobe of the liver on ultrasound. Serology for Entamoeba histolytica is positive and he is haemodynamically stable. What is the first-line treatment?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Metronidazole

A solitary right-lobe abscess with positive amoebic serology is an amoebic liver abscess. Most respond to metronidazole alone, followed by a luminal amoebicide to clear intestinal cysts, and aspiration is kept for large or complicated abscesses.

Option by option

  • A. Albendazole

    Albendazole is used for hydatid disease and is not effective for amoebiasis.

  • B. Immediate liver resection

    Resection has no role in an uncomplicated abscess that responds to drugs.

  • C. Open surgical drainage

    Open drainage is reserved for failed medical treatment or rupture, not as first-line.

  • D. Metronidazole (correct)

    Correct. Metronidazole is highly effective against invasive amoebic trophozoites.

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 D, Metronidazole. A solitary right-lobe abscess with positive amoebic serology is an amoebic liver abscess.

Why is "Albendazole" not the answer?

Albendazole is used for hydatid disease and is not effective for amoebiasis.

Why is "Immediate liver resection" not the answer?

Resection has no role in an uncomplicated abscess that responds to drugs.

Why is "Open surgical drainage" not the answer?

Open drainage is reserved for failed medical treatment or rupture, not as first-line.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Hepatobiliary in General Surgery. Most respond to metronidazole alone, followed by a luminal amoebicide to clear intestinal cysts, and aspiration is kept for large or complicated abscesses.

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 Hepatobiliary?

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.