10 Random Questions
After removing the electrocautery pad from the thigh, a burn is noted at that site. Which of the following most likely contributed to this injury?
- (A) A line-isolation monitor fault
- (B) Current leak from the EKG module
- (C) Defective grounding of the electrocautery unit
- (D) Dried gel on the electrocautery pad
- (E) Excessive current setting for cutting mode
A patient is hyperventilated to a PaC02 of 20 mmHg. Which of the following physiologic parameters is most likely to be increased?
- (A) Airway resistance
- (B) Myocardial contractility
- (C) Oxygen delivery to tissues
- (D) Pulmonary vascular resistance
- (E) Serum ionized calcium concentration
A woman is undergoing a repeat cesarean delivery at term following a normal pregnancy. Anesthesia consists of thiopental 250 mg, succinylcholine infusion (180 mg in 20 minutes), nitrous oxide and oxygen (7:3 L/min) until delivery. Twenty minutes after the incision a floppy newborn with a 1-minute Apgar score of 5 is delivered. The most likely explanation for the infant's condition is
- (A) high serum thiopental concentration
- (B) high serum succinylcholine concentration
- (C) high serum nitrous oxide concentration
- (D) high serum glucose concentration
- (E) uterine hypoperfusion
A 45-year-old man is scheduled for appendectomy under general anesthesia. He reports that for many years he has occasionally felt his heart "skip a beat." The ECG tracing shown was obtained one hour ago. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?
- (A) Proceeding with induction of anesthesia
- (B) Administration of a loading dose of digoxin
- (C) Carotid sinus massage
- (D) Intravenous administration of atropine
- (E) Placement of a temporary pacemaker
A patient with cirrhosis presenting for liver transplantation is likely to exhibit each of the following EXCEPT
- (A) decreased cardiac output
- (B) decreased serum glucose concentration (0 decreased serum sodium concentration
- (D) decreased systemic vascular resistance
- (E) increased alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference
A 65-year-old woman has respiratory distress and loss of consciousness immediately following superficial and deep cervical plexus block for right carotid endarterectomy. Which of the following is the most likely cause?
- (A) Phrenic nerve paralysis
- (B) Pneumothorax
- (C) Recurrent laryngeal nerve block
- (D) Subarachnoid injection
- (E) Vertebral artery injection
A 50-year-old woman with subarachnoid hemorrhage and left hemiparesis undergoes clipping of a right cerebral aneurysm. On the second postoperative day, mental status deteriorates. Blood pressure is 110/70 mmHg. A cerebral angiogram shows vasospasm. The most appropriate management is to
- (A) administer dexamethasone
- (B) administer mannitol
- (C) administer phentolamine
- (D) expand intravascular volume
- (E) intubate and hyperventilate to a PaC02 of 28 mmHg
Which of the following abnormalities in serum is most likely to result from intraoperative discontinuation of parenteral hyperalimentation?
- (A) Hypocalcemia
- (B) Hypocarbia
- (C) Hypoglycemia
- (D) Hypokalemia
- (E) Hyponatremia
On routine inspection of an anesthesia machine, the nitrous oxide E cylinder pressure is 360 psi. This indicates that the
- (A) pressure in the cylinder is 16 atm
- (B) cylinder contains no liquid nitrous oxide
- (C) cylinder is half full
- (D) cylinder contains enough nitrous oxide for one hour of anesthesia at a flow rate of 3 L/min
- (E) reducing valve is malfunctioning
Compared with a patient who is breathing spontaneously, a patient in the supine position receiving controlled positive-pressure ventilation will most likely have which of the following findings?
- (A) Decreased pulmonary vascular resistance
- (B) Decreased ratio of dead space to tidal volume
- (C) Increased ventilation of nondependent alveoli
- (D) Increased perfusion of nondependent alveoli
- (E) Improved matching of ventilation to perfusion