Surgery 1 Flashcards
Human bite wounds are prone to polymicrobial infection with aerobic and anaerobic oral flora. What are the 5 most common organisms?
Streptococci S. aureus Eikenella corrodens H. influenzae Beta-lactamase-producing anaerobic bacteria
What is the best empiric treatment for human bite wounds and why?
Amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin)
Excellent coverage of GP, GN, and beta-lactamase-producing oral anaerobes (clavulanate inhibits beta-lactamase)
In addition to empiric antibiotics, what should be done to manage a patient with a human bite wound?
Surgical debridement is usually necessary.
Wounds are typically left open to drain and heal by secondary intention (high risk of infection with closure)
Tetanus vaccination if not up to date
General coverage/use of ampicillin?
Effective against many GP and GN
Used for URIs
General coverage/use of ciprofloxacin?
Many GN organisms, some GP (excluding most streptococci)
GU and GI infections
General coverage/use of clindamycin?
GP, anaerobes
Some lung abscesses, SSTIs, female upper reproductive tract infections (in combination with other agents)
General coverage/use of erythromycin?
Some atypicals
2nd line to treat gonococcal or chlamydial urethritis
Patients suffering rapid deceleration blunt chest trauma are at high risk for ___ injury.
Aortic
X-ray findings suggestive of aortic injury?
Widened mediastinum
Large left-sided hemothorax
Deviation of the mediastinum to the right
Disruption of the normal aortic contour
How should the diagnosis of aortic injury be confirmed?
CT scanning
List the major risk factors for developing infected foot ulcers in patients with diabetes.
- Peripheral neuropathy leading to impaired recognition of minor damage
- Hyperglycemia leading to impaired immunity
- Peripheral artery disease further contributing to impaired healing once a wound is present
In patients with a diabetic foot ulcer, what should be done next?
Assess for extent of infection
What 3 factors increase the likelihood of osteomyelitis in a patient with a diabetic foot ulcer?
- Positive probe-to-bone test
- Large ulcer (>2 cm^2)
- Ulcer lasting 1+ weeks
What is the most specific diagnostic test for osteomyelitis?
Bone biopsy and culture
Management of a foot ulcer complicated by osteomyelitis?
Surgical debridement of necrotic material and prolonged (multiple weeks) antimicrobial therapy
Amputation is the option of last resort
What is the first-line imaging study for women 30+ with a palpable breast mass?
Mammography
What is required to confirm the diagnosis of a palpable mass?
Biopsy
What is a popliteal (Baker) cyst?
Extrusion of synovial fluid from the knee joint space into the semimembranous/gastrocnemius bursa through a communication between the joint and the bursa
Risk factors for popliteal cyst?
Trauma
Underlying joint disease
Clinical presentation of a popliteal cyst?
Asymptomatic bulge behind the knee that diminishes with flexion
Posterior knee pain, swelling, stiffness
Complications of a popliteal cyst?
- Venous compression (leg/ankle swelling)
- Dissection into the calf (erythema, edema, positive Homan sign)
- Cyst rupture (acute calf pain, warmth, erythema, ecchymosis -> crescent sign at the medial malleolus)
What is used to confirm the diagnosis of a popliteal cyst?
U/S
___ presents with subacute medial knee pain. Examination shows a well-defined area of tenderness over the medial tibial plateau below the joint line.
Pes anserinus pain syndrome (anserine bursitis)
Common clinical features of compartment syndrome?
Pain out of proportion to the injury (does not respond well to narcotics)
Pain increased on passive stretch
Rapidly increasing and tense swelling
Paresthesia (early)
Uncommon clinical features of compartment syndrome?
Decreased sensation Motor weakness (within hours) Paralysis (late) Decreased distal pulses (uncommon) Pallor (uncommon)
Causes of compartment syndrome?
Direct trauma
Prolonged compression of an extremity
After revascularization of an acutely ischemic limb
Diagnose compartment syndrome?
Measuring compartment pressures in the affected extremity (unless high-risk, then clinical dx acceptable)
What is the most critical prognostic indicator for compartment syndrome?
Time to fasciotomy
Treatment of choice for compartment syndrome?
Fasciotomy
Why can diaphragmatic hernia occur with blunt abdominal trauma?
May cause a sudden increase in intraabdominal pressure that overcomes the muscular strength of the diaphragm and leads to large radial tears in the muscle; the resultant diaphragmatic rupture allows leakage of intraabdominal contents into the chest, causing compression of the lungs and mediastinal deviation
Why is diaphragmatic rupture more common the left side?
Right side tends to be protected by the liver
___ is typically caused by 3+ adjacent rib fractures that break in 2 places and create an unstable chest wall segment that moves in a paradoxic motion with respiration.
Flail chest
CXR findings in diaphragmatic rupture?
Deviation of mediastinal contents to the opposite side
Elevation of the hemidiaphragm on the CXR
What can be diagnostic of diaphragmatic rupture?
CXR showing an NG tube in the pulmonary cavity
True or false - multiple liver masses are more likely to be the result of primary liver malignancy than metastatic disease or infectious causes.
False - multiple liver masses are much more likely to be the result of metastatic disease than infectious causes or primary liver malignancy
Common diseases that metastasize to the liver? Most common?
Primary tumors of the GI tract, lung, and breast
Most common - colorectal cancer (blood from the colon moves through the portal circulation directly to the liver)
In the setting of an abdominal CT showing multiple liver lesions, what is the most appropriate next diagnostic step?
Colonoscopy - localizes the tumor and provides a tissue diagnosis (Abdominal CT is a useful screening test but can often miss primary intraluminal tumors)