Respiratory and Cardiac Pathology Trails

Question 1

What are alveoli?

Answer 1

• Small balloon like structures which inflate/deflate
• attached to the bronchioles where
• Site of Gas exchange

Question 2

What is TNM?

Answer 2

• Tumour Size
• Lymph node status
• Presence of metastases

Question 3

How can lung cancers spread?

Answer 3

• Direct (invasion of surrounding structures)
• Lymphatic (through lymph nodes)
• Haematogenous (via blood)

Question 4

What is a thrombus?

Answer 4

• Stationary blood clot along the wall of a blood vessel

- Causes Vascular Obstruction

Question 5

What is an embolus?

Answer 5

• Clotted blood or other material forced into a small vessel

- Causes vascular obstruction

Question 6

What is venous thromboembolism?

Answer 6

• Deep Vein thrombosis

- Pulmonary embolism

Question 7

Which patients are at a higher risk of DVT?

Answer 7

• Minor surgery
• Bedbound patients
• Patients with HF/COPD/Stroke

Question 8

List 3 possibilities of pulmonary emboli size?

SMALL

Answer 8

• Small = asymptomatic, local haemorrhage, repeated episodes cause pulmonary hypertension

Question 9

List 3 possibilities of pulmonary emboli size?

MEDIUM

Answer 9

• Medium = SOB, asymptomatic , local haemorrhage, repeated episodes caused pulmonary hypertension

Question 10

List 3 possibilities of pulmonary emboli size?

LARGE

Answer 10

• Large = Instantaneous death due to circulatory arrest

Question 11

Define Hypoxia:

Answer 11

• Low oxygen supply to tissue

Question 12

Define Anoxia:

Answer 12

• No oxygen supply to tissue

Question 13

Define Virchow’s Triad

Answer 13

• Stasis of blood flow
• Endothelial injury
• Hypercoagulability
• Thrombosis

Question 14

What is atherosclerosis?

Answer 14

• Plaques
• Atheroma
• On lumen of large arteries
• Lipids
• Inflammatory cells
• SMC (smooth muscle cell)
• Connective tissue

Question 15

What are fatty streaks?

Answer 15

• Earliest visible sign of atherosclerosis

- Accumulation of foam cells in intimate of artery

Question 16

Patient had MI 4 days previously, but they die with no ECG changes, why?

Answer 16

• Previous MI
• Necrosis
• Muscle is weak and prone to rupture inter ventricular septum)
• or acute mitral regurgitation due to rupture of papillary muscles

Question 17

What is the circle of Willis?

Answer 17

• It is in the skull
• Vertebral arteries unite to form basilar artery
• Internal carotid arteries and basilar artery divide into several branches (circle of arteries)
• They connect vertebral and internal carotid arteries