100+ Free FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I Exam

100 Qs

Practice Bank Size

OpenExamPrep Practice Bank

R15 500

Exam Fee

CMSA Fee Schedule

50%

Passing Score

CMSA Regulations

CMSA

Exam Body

College of Plastic Surgeons of SA

The CMSA FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I assesses candidate mastery of plastic surgery basic sciences, including cutaneous microcirculation, surgical anatomy of flaps and hand structures, graft survival biology, and wound repair mechanics. This bank offers 100 practice MCQs aligned with the CMSA curriculum.

Sample FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which branch of the facial nerve (CN VII) courses immediately sub-SMAS over the zygomatic arch and is at greatest risk of injury during a superficial musculoaponeurotic system facelift design?

A.Marginal mandibular branch

B.Frontal (temporal) branch

C.Buccal branch

D.Cervical branch

Explanation: The frontal (temporal) branch of the facial nerve passes over the middle third of the zygomatic arch within or just deep to the temporoparietal fascia (superficial temporal fascia). Injury to this branch causes paralysis of the frontalis muscle, leading to eyebrow ptosis and loss of forehead wrinkle movement. Its trajectory along Pitanguy's line makes it vulnerable during temporal and facial dissections.

2The primary arterial blood supply to the latissimus dorsi muscle flap is derived from which vascular structure?

A.Lateral thoracic artery

B.Thoracodorsal artery

C.Internal thoracic artery

D.Subscapular artery direct branch

Explanation: The latissimus dorsi muscle is a Mathes and Nahai Type V muscle flap primarily supplied by the thoracodorsal artery, a continuation of the subscapular artery. The thoracodorsal pedicle enters the deep surface of the muscle approximately 8 to 10 cm distal to the axillary artery origin. Secondary segmental arterial supply comes from the posterior intercostal and lumbar perforators.

3In hand anatomy, which muscle is innervated exclusively by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve and acts as the main adductor of the thumb?

A.Abductor pollicis brevis

B.Flexor pollicis brevis superficial head

C.Adductor pollicis

D.Opponens pollicis

Explanation: The adductor pollicis muscle has transverse and oblique heads, both of which are innervated by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve (C8-T1). It functions to adduct the thumb toward the index finger metacarpal and is assessed clinically via Froment's sign when ulnar nerve weakness is present.

4Which cell type is the predominant producer of extracellular matrix components, including Type I collagen, during the proliferation phase of normal wound healing?

A.Neutrophil

B.Macrophage

C.Fibroblast

D.Endothelial cell

Explanation: Fibroblasts migrate into the wound environment around day 3 to 5 post-injury under the influence of growth factors such as TGF-beta and PDGF. They synthesize structural proteins, including glycosaminoglycans, fibronectin, and collagen (initially Type III, later replaced by Type I during maturation), providing tensile strength to the healing tissue.

5During the first 24 to 48 hours following split-thickness skin graft inset, by which primary mechanism does the graft maintain metabolic viability prior to capillary vascularization?

A.Inosculation

B.Plasmatic imbibition

C.Revascularization

D.Neovascular sprouting

Explanation: Plasmatic imbibition is the initial phase of skin graft survival lasting 24-48 hours, during which the graft passively absorbs nutrient-rich exudate and oxygen from the wound bed via capillary action. This process results in a weight gain of up to 40% before functional capillary connections (inosculation) are established.

6According to the Mathes and Nahai classification of muscle flaps, a Type II muscle flap is characterized by which pattern of vascular anatomy?

A.Single dominant vascular pedicle

B.Dominant pedicle(s) plus minor segmental pedicles

C.Dual dominant pedicles from separate arterial sources

D.Segmental vascular pedicles only

Explanation: Mathes and Nahai Type II muscle flaps possess one or more dominant vascular pedicles along with secondary minor segmental pedicles. Examples include the gracilis (dominant medial circumflex femoral artery) and rectus femoris muscles. Transposition can usually be sustained on the dominant pedicle alone after dividing the minor pedicles.

7Which nerve supplies cutaneous sensation to the anatomical snuffbox and the dorsum of the hand corresponding to the radial two and a half digits?

A.Superficial branch of the radial nerve

B.Posterior interosseous nerve

C.Palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve

D.Dorsal cutaneous branch of the ulnar nerve

Explanation: The superficial branch of the radial nerve passes under the tendon of the brachioradialis to become subcutaneous in the distal forearm. It supplies sensory innervation to the skin of the anatomical snuffbox, dorsum of the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and radial aspect of the ring finger proximal to the distal interphalangeal joints.

8Hypertrophic scars differ pathologically from keloids in which of the following clinical and histological characteristics?

A.Hypertrophic scars remain confined within the boundaries of the original wound

B.Hypertrophic scars contain predominantly thick, disorganized Type I collagen bundles

C.Hypertrophic scars rarely regress spontaneously over time

D.Hypertrophic scars demonstrate a strong genetic predilection in dark-skinned individuals

Explanation: Hypertrophic scars remain strictly confined to the original injury boundaries and frequently regress or soften over months to years. In contrast, keloids characteristically extend beyond the original margin of the wound, invade adjacent normal skin, contain large hyalinized collagen bundles, and show minimal tendency toward spontaneous regression.

9What is the classic geometric angle of limbs in a standard Z-plasty that yields a theoretical scar length increase of 75%?

A.30 degrees

B.45 degrees

C.60 degrees

D.90 degrees

Explanation: A standard Z-plasty constructed with 60-degree limb angles yields a theoretical length gain of 75% along the central limb axis and reorients the scar vector by 60 degrees. 30-degree angles provide 25% gain, while 45-degree angles yield a 50% gain in length.

10Which of the following local anesthetics has the longest duration of action due to its high protein binding capacity?

A.Procaine

B.Lidocaine

C.Prilocaine

D.Bupivacaine

Explanation: Bupivacaine is an amide local anesthetic with high lipid solubility and approximately 95% plasma protein binding (chiefly to alpha-1-acid glycoprotein), resulting in a long duration of nerve block (4 to 8 hours). Lidocaine has ~65% protein binding and a duration of 1 to 2 hours without epinephrine.

About the FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I Exam

The FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I is the primary fellowship examination of the College of Plastic Surgeons of South Africa. It evaluates candidates in the foundational surgical basic sciences essential for plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery practice.

Assessment

Written examination papers evaluating surgical basic sciences in plastic surgery (applied surgical anatomy, wound healing, graft and flap physiology, tissue transplantation, surgical microbiology, pharmacology, and reconstructive principles).

Time Limit

Per CMSA written examination diet schedule

Passing Score

Overall 50% with written subminimum

Exam Fee

R12 950 (College of Plastic Surgeons of South Africa (Colleges of Medicine of South Africa))

FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I Exam Content Outline

25%

Applied Surgical Anatomy

Facial muscle and nerve anatomy, cutaneous angiosomes and perforators, hand neurovascular architecture, and pedicled flap arterial supply.

25%

Wound Healing & Flap Physiology

Wound repair phases, collagen synthesis, hypertrophic scarring, graft imbibition/inosculation, flap hemodynamics, and delay phenomenon.

20%

Tissue Transplantation & Biomaterials

Grafting biology for bone, cartilage, nerve, and fat; synthetic implants; tissue expansion mechanics; and dermal substitute integration.

15%

Surgical Microbiology & Pharmacology

Soft tissue infections, local anesthetic toxicities, tumescent lidocaine dosing, antimicrobial stewardship, and perioperative pharmacology.

15%

Principles of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

Geometric transposition flaps, tension lines, reconstructive options, acute burn resuscitation, Parkland formula, and burn depth zones.

How to Pass the FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Overall 50% with written subminimum
Assessment: Written examination papers evaluating surgical basic sciences in plastic surgery (applied surgical anatomy, wound healing, graft and flap physiology, tissue transplantation, surgical microbiology, pharmacology, and reconstructive principles).
Time limit: Per CMSA written examination diet schedule
Exam fee: R12 950

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the angiosome concept described by Taylor and Palmer, focusing on arterial territories and choke vessel recruitment during flap delay.

2Memorize the cellular timelines of wound healing, including collagen type I vs type III ratios during maturation and scar remodeling.

3Understand local anesthetic maximum dosages, particularly lidocaine with epinephrine (7 mg/kg) and tumescent lidocaine limits (35-50 mg/kg).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the CMSA FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I examination?

The FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I is examined via written papers assessing surgical basic sciences relevant to plastic and reconstructive surgery.

What is the pass mark for FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I?

The passing score is an overall 50% with a written subminimum requirement across examination papers.

What is the fee for the FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I exam?

The examination fee is R15 500 as specified by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa.

100+ Free FC Plast Surg(SA) Part I Practice Questions

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