General Surgery Flashcards
Medical management of SBO?
IV fluids and gastric decompression, or ‘drip-and-suck’
Neutrophil predominant leucocytosis suggests what?
Appendicitis
Why is appendicitis pain felt in umbilical first?
- Inflammation of the visceral peritoneum is felt in T10 which corresponds to periumbilical region -> no somatic sensation here
Why does appendicitis pain move to RIF?
Parietal peritoneum becomes involved which receives somatic innervation therefore pain is localised to area affected
What is a diverticulum?
Outpouching of the gut mucous through the muscle wall
Which part of the colon is diverticula common in?
Sigmoid - as majority of water has already been reabsorbed by this stage therefore high intraluminal pressures
Diverticulosis vs Diverticulitis vs Diverticular disease
Diverticulosis - presence of diverticula
Diverticular disease - symptomatic diverticula
Diverticulitis - inflammation of the diverticula
What is the possible complications of diverticulitis?
- Perforation
- Bleeding
- Abscess
- Fistulas
What are the 6 Ps of limb ischaemia?
Pallor, pain, pulseless, paraesthesia, perishingly cold, paralysis
Acute limb ischaemic vs critical limb ischaemia?
Critical - last longer than 2 weeks and foot will be warm with pink appearance
What is the management of acute limb ischaemia?
Immediate referral to vascular
Thrombotic cause - angio/surgery
Embolic cause - embolectomy
What is initially added with GnRH agonists for metastatic prostate cancer?
Anti-androgens to prevent tumour flare which can cause bone pain, bladder obstruction and other symptoms
fever, hypotension and a rash → desquamation
Staph toxic shock syndrome
Different surgical signs
Rosving - appendicitis
Boas - cholecystitis
Murphy’s - cholecystitis
Cullens - pancreatitis
Grey-Turner - pancreatitis
What are risk factors for abdominal wall hernias?
- Obesity
- Ascites
- Increasing age
What are features of abdominal wall hernias?
- Palpable lump
- Cough impulse
- Pain
- Obstruction
- Strangulation
What is the most common hernia and who is it common in?
Inguinal - men
Lump in the midline between the umbilicus and xiphisternum?
Epigastric hernia -> common in those doing extensive physical training/chronic cough
Management of congenital inguinal hernias?
Surgical repair ASAP as risk of incarceration
What is abdominal wound dehiscence?
- When the layers of abdominal mass closure fail and the viscera protrude out
- RF include malnutrition, jaundice and poor surgical technique
What is the management of sudden full dehiscence?
- Coverage of wound with saline gauze
- IV Abx
- Analgesia
- Fluids
- Return to theatre
What blood test would point to appendicitis?
Neutrophil-predominant raised WCC
Investigations for Appendicitis?
Thin, male patients - clinical
Women - US useful to rule out pelvic pathology
How to reduce wound infection rates in appendicectomy?
Prophylactic IV Abx
What is cryptorchidism?
Undescended testis which fails to reach bottom of scrotum by 3 months
What is the major complication of undescended testes?
Testicular cancer - massive increased risk
What is the treatment of cryptoorchidism?
Orchidopexy at 6-18 months
A sinusoidal ECG pattern is indicative of what?
Severe hyperkalaemia
What are common complications of enteral feeding?
Diarrhoea
What is a femoral hernia?
When a section of the bowel passes into the femoral cancel - more common in females
How to differentiate a femoral vs inguinal hernia?
Femoral - inferolateral to the pubic tubercle below the inguinal ligament
Inguinal - super media to the pubic tubercle
What is the management of inguinal hernias?
Surgical repair due to the high risk of strangulation
Direct vs indirect inguinal hernia?
Direct - Through Hesselback triangle medial to the inferior epigastric artery
Indirect - Through inguinal ring, lateral to the inferior epigastric artery -> more common in infants
What causes direct and indirect inguinal hernias?
Direct - defect/weakness in the transversalis fascia area of the Hesselback triangle
Indirect - Failure of the processus vaginalis to close
What is a hiatus hernia?
Herniation of part of the stomach above the diaphragm
What is the most common type of hiatus hernia?
Sliding - gastroesophageal junction moves above the diaphragm
How does a hiatus hernia present?
- Heartburn
- Dysphagia
- Regurg
- Chest pain
How to manage hiatus hernia?
- Barium swallow
- Conservative: weight loss
- Medical: PPI
- Surgical: only for symptomatic
How to manage inguinal hernias?
- Refer and treat even if asymptomatic
- Unliteral: open surgery
- Bilateral/recurrent: laparoscopy
What are the 2 most common liver cancers?
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Cholangiocarcinoma
What are HCC tumours?
- Common in liver cirrhosis and chronic Hep B infections
- CT/MRI
- Elevated AFP
- Examine testes to rule out testicular tumours
- Surgical resection
What is cholangiocarcinoma?
- Tumour of bile ducts
- Presents with jaundice
- Associated with PSC
- Obstructive liver picture with elevated CA19-9, CEA, CA-125
- CT/MRI/MRCP
- Surgical resection
Admission criteria for acute lower GI bleed?
- Over 60
- Unstable
- On aspirin/NSAIDs
- Significant co-morbidities
What are complications of massive haemorrhage?
- Hypothermia
- Hypocalcaemia
- Hyperkalaemia
- Delayed transfusion reactions
Which nerve can be damaged in carotid endardectomy?
Hypoglossal
Where is the most common site of oesophageal rupture?
Left postero-lateral oesophagus
What is the name for free air in the abdomen?
Pneumoperitoneum - Rigler’s sign
What is haemorrhagic shock?
- Occurs following trauma
- Control bleeding and then transfuse if needed
What is neurogenic shock?
- Occurs following spinal cord transection
- Decreases peripheral vascular resistance causing shock
- Decreases CO -> shock
What is cardiogenic shock?
- Caused by IHD
- Supportive treatment plus echo needed