Surgery Clerkship Flashcards
(142 cards)
Cause and clinical features of air embolism
- Caused by severe chest trauma resulting in damage to the airways and vessels which cause mixing of the air and blood.
- Patients present with neurological deficits, hemoptysis, and circulatory arrest.
Telling difference between SBO and paralytic ileus:
- SBO will have “tinkling” as opposed to absent bowel sounds
- SBO will show proximal distension on plain films and distal collapse, as opposed to pan-distension in paralytic ileus
Findings on exam and imaging in perforated viscus:
- Exam will show peritonitis
- Imaging will reveal air under the diaphragm
Pathogenesis of paralytic ileus:
Not really well known, but can happen post-op or from injuries causing vertebral fractures and retroperitoneal hemorrhage.
Important causes of post-op fevers and the post-op day on which they occur:
Atelecatasis - Day 1
- “Wind” (Pneumonia) → 1-2 days post-op
- “Water” (UTI) → 3-5 days post-op
- “Walking” (DVT) → 4-6 days post op
- “Wound” (Wound infection) → 5-7 days
- “Wonder Drugs” (Drug associated) → ≥7 days
Signs of splenic injury:
Fluid (blood) in the spleno-renal space on FAST
LUQ pain
Kehr’s Sign
Left Sided Lower Rib Fractures
DVT treatment
Bridging heparin + coumadin
Coumadin tx should continue for approximately 3 months
Best treatment for acute cholecystitis:
Intial supportive care with fluids and observation
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy within 72 hours of presentation
Define “Mild TBI” and explain how to manage it:
Mild TBI is a head injury with a GCS of 13-15 and a brief LOC, vomiting, headache, or disorientation
Management = head CT; if normal then send home with clear instructions to return if any abnormalities arise
Clinical features, pathogenesis, and prevention of Bacterial Parotitis
- Presents with parotid swelling, oral purulent exudate, fever, leukocytosis
- Typically S. aureus infection of the parotid duct.
- Prevent with adequate oral hygiene and hydration of patients.
Fat necrosis:
- Similarities to breast malignancy:
- Differences from breast malignancy:
- Nipple retraction, fixed mass, calcifications, similar US findings
- Calcifications are coarse in fat necrosis–not fine; biopsy reveals fat globules and foamy histiocytes.
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC)
Define
Clinical presentation
Risk Factors
This is an undifferentiated carcinoma of sqaumous cell origin.
Patients typically present late in the course, once the disease has already spread. There is recurrent epistaxis, sinusitis, otitis media, nasal obstruction.
Risk factors include Mediterranean or far Eastern decent; smoking; EBV infection.
Treatment for pneumothorax:
Chest tube inserted in the 2nd intercostal space on the midclavicular line
Explain directionality of trachea shift:
Trachea shifts toward the problem in (1) spontaneous PTX; (2) pneumonectomy
Trachea shifts away from the problem in (1) tension PTX; (2) traumatic PTX.
Different types of foot ulcers and their specific findings:
- Venous Insufficiency Ulcers: typically located on the medial aspect of the leg, just above the medial malleolus and associated with overlying stasis dermatitis, and chronic lower extremity edema
- Arterial Insufficiency Ulcers: Lateral aspect of the ankle or the distal digits
- Diabetic Ulcers: typcially on the sole of the foot and are painless.
Pathogenesis of diabetic foot ulcers:
Combination of:
(1) Neuropathy
(2) Microvascular insufficiency
(3) Relative immunosuppression
Etiology of whistling sound on respiration in rhinoplasty patient:
Septal Perforation
Septal cartilage has a very poor blood supply–coming completely from the overlying mucosa. Therefore minor septal trauma can cause ishemia of the underlying collagen.
Acalculous cholecystitis
Clinical Presentation
Diagnosis
Treatment
Patients will present with other severe illness, like burns, trauma, sepsis, etc. Due to the bad nature of these inciting injuries, they also commonly have paralytic ileus. Other than that they will have exactly the same symptoms as a patient with acute calculous cholecystitis if they can interact with you.
Diagnose with the various imaging studies, which should reveal dilated gall bladder, thickened wall, pericholecystic fluid, and no stones.
Can treat immediately with percutaneous drainage and supportive care and quickly move onto cholecystectomy.
Complicated Diveritculitis
Define
Treatment
This is diverticulitis that has associated obstruction, perforation, fistula, or abscess.
Treat with IV antiobiotics and drainage if an abscess, and the appropriate therapies for the other causes.
Most common and serious complication of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery:
Leakage of the gastro-jejunal anastomosis
Role of steroids in Crohn’s Disease:
These are only used in patients refractory to antimicrobial (metronidazole / cipro) and anti-inflammatory drugs (5-ASA).
They are not indicated for maintenance therapy–only treatment of acute exacerbations.
Budesonide
Define
Indications
Pros and cons
This is a corticosteroid.
Used for asthma, COPD, and Crohn’s disease.
It is metabolized more rapidly than prednisone and therefore has few side effects. However it is not as potent, and therefore in Crohn’s disease it is only used in mild to moderate flare-ups–as opposed to the more severe flare-ups which are treated with prednisone.
Factors associated with disease recurrence in Crohn’s
Smoking
NSAIDs
Infliximab
Define / MOA
Indications in Crohn’s Disease
Drawbacks
This is a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against the TNF-a receptor, and is used in inflammatory conditions such as Crohn’s.
In Crohn’s it is used in (1) patients refractory to all other medical treatments; and (2) as a first line therapy for fistulizing Crohn’s in order to stear clear of operations.
Drawbacks include: opportunistic infections and development of B-cell lymphomas.






