surgery_flashcards
What immediate steps should be taken for a premenopausal lady presenting with a 2cm irregular hard lump in her left breast with no family history of breast cancer?
Refer for further investigation, including imaging (mammogram, ultrasound) and biopsy if indicated.
Differentiate the disease processes associated with hip fractures in young patients vs. the elderly.
In young patients, hip fractures are often due to high-energy trauma, whereas in the elderly, they are typically due to osteoporosis and low-energy falls.
What are the indications for bariatric surgery?
Significant obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m² or ≥ 35 kg/m² with obesity-related health conditions), failure to achieve weight loss with conservative measures, and suitability for surgery.
Define Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) and its criteria.
SIRS is a dysregulated inflammatory response to a variety of insults. Criteria include heart rate >90 bpm, respiratory rate >20 bpm or PaCO2 <32 mm Hg, temperature >38°C or <36°C, white blood cell count >12,000/mm³, <4,000/mm³, or >10% immature (band) forms.
Describe the management of a tension pneumothorax.
Immediate needle decompression followed by chest tube insertion to relieve the pressure and re-expand the lung.
What are the clinical signs of compartment syndrome?
Pain out of proportion to injury, pallor, paresthesia, paralysis, pulselessness, and poikilothermia (the “six Ps”).
How is a contaminated laceration managed in a patient unsure of their tetanus immunization status?
Wound cleaning, administration of tetanus toxoid vaccine, and possibly tetanus immunoglobulin depending on the patient’s immunization history and wound characteristics.
What are the eligibility criteria for liver transplantation?
End-stage liver disease with a life expectancy of less than 5 years without transplantation, absence of contraindications like active substance abuse, significant comorbidities, or extrahepatic malignancies.
Explain the concept of “damage control surgery” in trauma.
A surgical strategy focusing on controlling hemorrhage and contamination, stabilizing vital parameters, and delaying definitive surgical repair until the patient’s physiological status is optimized.
What are the principles of wound healing and stages?
Wound healing occurs in four stages: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Management aims to support these processes by providing an optimal healing environment.
