General surgery Flashcards
How long should patients avoid food or feeds and avoid any clear fluids before surgery? (2)
- 6 hours no food or feeds
- 2 hours no clear fluids
What term refers to fluid output that is difficult to measure, such as via respiration, stools, burns and sweat? (1)
Insensible fluid losses
What arteries supply the foregut, midgut and hindgut? (3)
- Foregut: coeliac artery
- Midgut: superior mesenteric artery
- Hindgut: inferior mesenteric artery
What procedure involves removing the entire length of the large intestine? (1)
Panproctocolectomy
What organ does pancreatic cancer usually spread to first? (1)
Liver
What is the approximate daily maintenance requirements of glucose?
50-100g
What are the two types of volvulus? (2)
- Sigmoid volvulus (more common)
- Caecal volvulus
What complication can SGLT2 inhibitors (e.g., dapagliflozin) cause in dehydrated or acutely unwell patients? (1)
DKA
Give two key complications of excessive normal 0.9% saline? (2)
- Hypernatraemia
- Hyperchloraemic metabolic acidosis
What are the key causes of acute right upper quadrant pain? (3)
- Biliary colic
- Acute cholecystitis
- Acute cholangitis
How long should the combined contraceptive pill be stopped prior to surgery? (1)
4 weeks
What specific sign is suggestive of acute cholecystitis? (1)
Murphy’s sign
What tumour marker may be used for monitoring bowel cancer during and after treatment? (1)
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
What is a Gridiron incision used for? (1)
Open appendicetomy
What blood test is used in females of child bearing age presenting with abdominal pain? Why? (2)
- Serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
- To exclude pregnancy
What term describes when rapidly releasing pressure on the abdomen causes worse pain than the pressure itself? (1)
Rebound tenderness
Where do cholangiocarcinomas originate? (1)
What is the typical histological type? (1)
- Bile ducts
- Adenocarcinoma
What is the usual definitive management of acute appendicitis? (1)
Laparoscopic appendicectomy
What condition refers to pus in the gallbladder? (1)
Gallbladder empyema
What is the gold standard investigation for suspected bowel cancer? (1)
Colonoscopy
What needs monitoring daily for patients on maintenance fluids? (3)
- Fluid status
- Fluid balance chart
- U&E blood tests
What complication is metformin associated with in the perioperative period? (1)
Lactic acidosis
What incisions may be used for a liver transplant? (2)
- “Rooftop” incision
- “Mercedes Benz” incision
When would you avoid using ondansetron as a treatment for post-operative nausea and vomiting? (1)
Patients at risk of prolonged QT interval
What proportion of total body fluids are in the intracellular and extracellular spaces? (2)
- 2/3 intracellular
- 1/3 extracellular
What type of hernia occurs between the lateral border of the rectus abdominis muscle and the linea semilunaris? (1)
Spigelian hernia
What is the name for the mucosal folds that form lines extending the full width of the bowel? (1)
Where are they found? (1)
- Valvulae conniventes
- Small bowel
What three types of cancer are more prevalent than bowel cancer in the UK? (3)
- Breast
- Prostate
- Lung
What does cholelithiasis mean? (1)
Gallstones are present
What is the name for when only part of the bowel wall and lumen herniate through a defect in the abdominal wall, with the other side of that section of the bowel remaining within the peritoneal cavity? (1)
Richter’s hernia
Where is the deep inguinal ring located? (1)
The mid-way point from the ASIS to the pubic tubercle
What is the concentration of sodium in normal 0.9% saline? (1)
154 mmol/L
Using a clock face to describe the position, where are haemorrhoids usually located? (3)
- 3 o’clock
- 7 o’clock
- 11 o’clock
What operation describes removal of the rectosigmoid colon with closure of the anorectal stump and formation of a colostomy? (1)
Hartmann’s procedure
What blood tests specifically indicate acute inflammation of the pancreas? (2)
- Amylase
- Lipase
What term describes a situation where there are two points of obstruction along the bowel; meaning that there is a middle section sandwiched between two points of obstruction? (1)
When might this occur with a single point of obstruction in the large bowel? (1)
- Closed-loop obstruction
- When there is a competent ileocaecal valve
What pre-operative investigation is required specifically in diabetic patients? (1)
HbA1c in the last 3 months
What law states that a palpable gallbladder along with jaundice is unlikely to be gallstones? (1)
Courvoisier’s law
Why do patients need a post-operative full blood count? (1)
To assess for anaemia secondary to blood loss
What procedure can be used to assess the biliary system and treat gallstones stuck in the ducts? (1)
Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP)
What are the key risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma? (2)
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis
- Liver flukes
What test is used in the bowel cancer screening program in England? (1)
Faecal immunochemical test (FIT)
What investigation and finding can be used to assess for intra-abdominal perforation? (2)
- Erect CXR
- Air under the diaphragm
What region does a direct inguinal hernia protrude through? (1)
Hesselbach’s triangle/inguinal triangle
What is the first-line investigation in patients with symptoms of gallstone disease? (1)
Ultrasound
What system classifies the physical status of the patient for anaesthesia? (1)
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grading system
What is the characteristic presenting symptom of acute cholecystitis? (1)
RUQ pain
What can be seen on a venous blood gas in acute mesenteric ischaemia? (2)
- Metabolic acidosis
- Raised lactate
Where on the abdomen are you most likely to find an ileostomy? (1)
RIF
What is formed from a section of small bowel in patients with a urostomy? (1)
Ileal conduit
What are the contents of the femoral triangle from lateral to medial across the top of the thigh? (4)
- Femoral nerve
- Femoral artery
- Femoral vein
- Femoral canal
What scoring system is used to assess the severity of pancreatitis? (1)
Glasgow score
What are type 1 and type 2 hiatus hernias? (2)
Type 1: sliding
Type 2: rolling
What pattern of enzymes will be seen on liver function tests in patients with cholestasis? (2)
- ALT and AST can raise slightly
- With a higher raise in ALP “obstructive pattern”
What tumour suppressor gene is malfunctioning in FAP? (1)
Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC)
What space is full of fluid with ascites? (1)
Peritoneal cavity
Describe 2nd and 3rd degree haemorrhoids. (2)
- 2nd degree: prolapse when straining and return on relaxing
- 3rd degree: prolapse when straining, do not return on relaxing, but can be pushed back