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.…
1 What are the cardiovascular adaptations to pregnancy? Increased progesterone levels associated with pregnancy are presumed to increase the production of nitric oxide and prostacyclin. This is coupled with a decreased response to catecholamines and angiotensin, resulting in vasodilation. The…
1 Compare and contrast the adult and pediatric airways. Compared with adults, children have larger heads, shorter necks, smaller nares, and larger tongues. Infants and neonates are obligate nose breathers. They have a large tongue, which can obstruct the airway…
1 Why are neonates and preterm infants at increased anesthetic risk? Pulmonary factors. Differences in the neonatal airway, including large tongue and occiput, floppy epiglottis, small mouth, and short neck predispose infants to upper airway obstruction. The more premature the…
1 How is alcohol absorbed and metabolized? Alcohol is absorbed across the gastrointestinal mucosa, more so in the small intestine than in the stomach. It enters into the portal vein and proceeds to the liver, where it is metabolized. Most…
1 Define obesity. Obesity is defined using the body mass index (BMI) ( Table 49.1 ). BMI=MassHeight2(kgm2) BMI = Mass Height 2 kg m 2 Table 49.1 Classification of Body Mass Index Body Mass Index Classification ≤ 18.5 Underweight 18.5–25…