1 What are the common indications for spine surgery? By-and-large, spinal deformity is the most common reason a patient requires surgery. Causes of the deformity are usually developmental, such as scoliosis, or degenerative processes. Other reasons for spine surgery include…
1 What are the indications for lung isolation? The absolute indications for lung isolation include: 1. Protection of a healthy lung from contamination by a diseased lung (i.e., hemorrhage, pulmonary infection, or bronchopulmonary lavage) 2. Provision of differential lung ventilation…
1 What are the main functions of the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit? The CPB circuit functions as the temporary equivalent of the native cardiopulmonary system. The CPB circuit allows for perfusion of the patient's vital organs, while oxygenating the blood…
1 What are some examples of major vascular surgery? Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR): stents passed through an artery (usually femoral) and guided to the aorta via fluoroscopy without operating directly on the aorta. Open aortic surgery: direct repair of the…
1 What are the benefits of minimally invasive procedures? Improvements in scope technology have allowed many procedures to be performed without large surgical incisions, affording the patient rapid recovery of function, less postoperative pain and analgesic requirements, improved postoperative pulmonary…
1 From an anesthetic perspective, what makes a patient elderly? There is no universal age that defines a patient as aged/geriatric/elderly, although 65 years is used most commonly. Many debate whether considering physiological age may be more appropriate than using…
1 Who gets burned? In the United States, there are over 450,000 burn injuries each year responsible for 40,000 hospitalizations and approximately 3400 deaths. The majority of burns are thermal injuries. Electrical burns usually cause tissue destruction by thermal and…
1 Outline and prioritize the initial assessment and management of a trauma patient. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma has developed a systematic and concise guideline for management of trauma patients and is taught as Advanced Trauma Life…
1 Define high-risk pregnancy. High-risk pregnancies are those that involve either a maternal or fetal condition that increases the likelihood of maternal or fetal morbidity and/or mortality. They comprise approximately 6% to 18% of total pregnancies ( Table 56.1 );…
1 What modes of analgesia are available to the parturient? Parenteral opioids, inhaled nitrous oxide, epidural, spinal, and combined spinal-epidural (CSE) are all acceptable modes of analgesia, depending on the patient's comorbidities, time of presentation, clinical condition, and personal preference.…