Surgery/GI Flashcards
(198 cards)
venous insufficiency
venous HTN –> LE edema, loss of fluid, plasma proteins, erythrocytes
- erythrocyte –> hemosiderin deposition –> stasis dermatitis (red-bronze colored legs)
- ultimately - inflammation of venules and capillaries, fibrin deposition, plt aggregation –> microvascular disease and ulcerations
- changes - 1) xerosis (dry chicken skin), 2) lipodermatosclerosis (~panniculitis aka inflammation of subQ fat) and ulcerations LE edema
- venous valvular incompetence is most common (cycle where fluid leaks out of intravascular space so kidneys retain more fluid)
- note lymphatic obstruction is an uncommon cause of edema (due to malignant obstruction, LN resection, trauma, filariasis) - affects dorsa of feet and causes marked thickening and rigidity of skin
ulcers on feet
- diabetic - microvascular disease
- arterial insufficiency - tip of toes, devoid of granulation tissue, start with Doppler (pressure gradient means that surgery may be a treatment option)
- venous stasis - will have granulation tissue
- marjolin ulcer

FOOSH
schapoid fracture - can lead to avascular necrosis and non-union of proximal pole
- tenderness in anatomic snuffbox
- xray at time of injury has low sensitivity –> get CT/MRI to confirm fracture
- immobilize wrist in thumb spica splint - and get repeat imaging in 7-10d
supracondylar fracture of humerus - kids
- brachial artery injury, medial nerve injury
- less common complications are cubitus varus deformity and compartment syndrome (volkmann ischemic contracture)
- note - mid-distal humerus fractures also risk radial injury (wrist drop)
clavicle fracture - occurs with FOOSH or direct blow to shoulder
- usu fracture of middle third of the clavicle
- tx by brace, rest, and ice
- fractures of the distal 3rd may required ORIF because of risk of non-union - careful exam because of close proximity to subclavian artery and brachial plexus
- if you hear a bruit - need to rule out vessel injury
shoulder injury - FOOSH can lead to shearing of shoulder bones
tendon injuries
penetrating injury or with extreme loading of digit (jamming a finger on a ball)
sphincter of Oddi dysfunction
can develop after any inflammatory process - surgery, pancreatitis
dyskinesia and stenosis of sphincter
- functional biliary disorder - where there is obstruction of flow through the sphincter
- recurrent episodic pain with transaminitis and alk phos elevations
- dilated common bile duct in absence of stones
opioids (morphine) cause contraction of sphincter –> precipitate sxs
manometry is the gold std dx
tx - sphincterotomy
gastritis
gastritis
bile reflux gastritis - due to incompetent pyloric sphincter (following gastric surgery)
- vomiting, heart burn, abd pain
acute erosive gastropathy: hemorrhagic lesions after exposure of gastric mucosa - ASA, cocaine, alcohol (vasoconstriction and direct mucosal injury)
acute adrenal insufficiency
due to - adrenal hemorrhage/infarct
- acute illness/injury/surgery in pt with chronic adrenal insufficiency (PAI, Addisons disease) or long-term glucocorticoid use
- pts on long-term glucocorticoid therapy will eventually develop Cushingoid features (HPA suppression can occur after 3 weeks of prednisone > 20 mg/day)
- side note - pts on <5mg/day of glucocorticoids will not need stress dosing
- for doses 5-20mg/day - get preoperative evaluation with early-morning cortisol level
- px - hypotension/shock, N&V and abd pain, weakness, fever
- hypoglycemia is also common - can cause dizziness and a wide pulse pressure (due to systolic HTN)
- tx - hydrocortisone, dexa, high-flow IVF
pts with PAI will also have mineralocorticoid deficiency - hyponatremia and hyperkalemia
“septic shock” - abx, steroid bolus - if you think someone has septic shock and they “briefly* respond to a steroid bolus –> adrenal infarct
hip/pelvis injuries
adducted and internally rotated leg - acetabular fracture with post hip dislocation
pelvic fracture - pain in low abd/groin, bruising along scrotum and perineum
- men with pelvic fractures are at high risk for posterior urethral injury - will present with blood at urethral meatus and high-riding prostate
- for suspected urethral injury - get retrograde urethrogram (contrast should enter bladder uninterrupted)
- tx with temporary urinary diversion by suprapubic catheter –> delayed urethral repair with pelvic fracture
- you can also get bladder rupture - gross hematuria and difficultly voiding - use retrograde cystogram bladder rupture
- retrograde cystogram - need post-void films to look for leaks at base of bladder
aortoiliac occlusion
Leriche syndrome
triad of 1) bilateral hip, thigh, and buttock claudication
2) impotence
3) symmetric atrophy of LE due to chronic ischemia
occurs in a men with risk factors for atheroscloersis
- pain is exercise-induced and relieved by rest
catheters and lines
CVC - used for administration of critical care medications
- IJ, subclavian
- tip in lower superior vena cava (tip placement in smaller veins predisposes to venous perforation)
- inappropriately placed catheter can also cause pneumothorax (or myocardial perf or subclavian artery puncture)
- CVC may trigger cardiac arrhythmias if inserted too far into RA
- get confirmatory CXR or portable CXR (imm) - want to see catheter tip at angle between trachea and right mainstem bronchus
pulmonary contusion
presents <24hrs after blunt thoracic trauma - often within a few min
- tachypnea, tachy, hypoxia - rales or decreased breath sounds
- CT/CXR will show patchy infiltrate not restricted by anatomic borders
- tx - pain control, pulm hygiene (neb, chest PT), supplemental O2 and vent. support
ARDS is a common complication of pulm contusion - will present 24-48hrs after trauma
- bilat, patchy infiltrates on CXR
fat embolism
long bone fractures, pancreatitis
- tachypnea (respiratory distress), tachy, hypotension, AMS (confusion, visual field defects), thrombocytopenia, petechiae
- prevention and tx - early immobilization of fracture, supportive care (mechanical vent required fro approx 50% of pts)
rib fractures
rib fractures - pain control!
- in general - surgery is rarely indicated (indications include flail chest with failure to wean from vent, refractory, deformity)
Flail chest
- when 3+ consecutive ribs are fractured in 2 places flail segment moves in during inspiration, balloons out during expiration requires large amount of trauma
- so make sure that there is no traumatic transection of aorta
- px - chest pain, tachypnea, rapid shallow breaths (splinting)
- rib fractures +/- contusion/hemothorax
- tx - pain control, supplemental O2 - PPV (+/- chest tube) for respiratory failure (due to the pulmonary contusions)
oropharyngeal infections
tonsilitis- …tender ant cervical nodes, palatal petechiae
epiglottitis
herpangina
- coxsackie A - fever, sore throat, odynophagia
mono - fever, pharyngitis, and post C-LAD
peritonsillar abscess - fever, sore throat, trismus, hot potato voice, uvular deviation region between the tonsil and the pharyngeal muscle gets infected
- most common in older adolescents and young adults - drug and etoh increases risk
- tx - needle aspiration or I&D, abx to cover group a strep and respiratory anaerobes
note - adenoids are typically enlarged in early childhood, will regress with age
GCS
GCS - for prognosis of medical conditions
eye opening
- spont - 4
- verbal command - 3
- pain - 2
- none - 1
verbal
- oriented - 5
- disoriented - 4
- inappropriate words - 3
- incomprehensible sounds - 2
- none - 1
motor
- obeys - 6
- localizes - 5
- withdraws - 4
- flexure posturing (decorticate, hold on) - 3
- extensor posturing (decerebrate, let me go) - 2
- none - 1
how to dx coma - brainstem activity, decorticate/decerebrate, impaired consciousness
nasopharyngeal carcinoma
associated with EBV - tumor expresses EBV DNA and EBV assays are often used to monitor treatment
- endemic to souther china (and Africa, middle east) - risk is higher here due to diet
- salt-cured food and genetic predisposition
tumors obstruct the nasopharynx and invade adjacent tissues –> nasal congestion, epistaxis, headache, CN palsies, otitis media
- early metastatic spread to cervical lymph nodes = non-tender neck mass
vs nasal polyposis - nasal congestion and rhinorrhea - due to recurrent bacterial sinusitis nasal polyps
- asthma, allergic rhinitis
BAT
factors increasing the likelihood of intra-abd injury - seat-belt sign, rebound, abd distention/guarding, concomitant femur fracture
work-up of BAT (almost always get a FAST)
- pos fast, hemodynamically unstable –> ex lap
- pos fast and hemodynamically stable –> CT scan of abdomen to determine need for laparotomy (will distinguish blood from urine or ascites, site of injury)
- negative fast –> serial abd exams +/- CT
- note DPL can be used if FAST is inconclusive
duodenal hematomas - most commonly occur following BAT, more commonly seen in kids (due to anatomic differences)
- occurs when BAT compresses the duodenum against the vertebral column
- blood collects between submucosal and muscular layers –> obstruction –> gastric distention 24-36hrs after injury
- dx confirmed with CT manage with NG decompression and TPN
- surgery or perc drainage if non-op management fails
spillage of blood, bowel contents, bile, pancreatic secretions into peritoneum –> acute chemical peritonitis, diffuse abd pain and guarding
- rupture of DOME of bladder will cause urine spillage into the peritoneum - because this the only part of the bladder that is intraperitoneal (also the weakest part of the bladder)
BAT –> damage to mesenteric blood supply –> delayed perf - most commonly of jejunum
small bowel perf
fever, hemodynamic instability, diminished bowel sounds
pain with impending bowel perf (small and large) = periumbilical
- ex - acute appy, mesenteric ischemia (get mesenteric angiography)
- note - visceral pain is poorly localized
nec fasc
micro - Strep pyogenes, S aureus, clostridium perfringens, polymicrobial
pathogenesis - bacteria spread through subQ tissue + deep fascia - most commonly involves extremities and perianal region
clinical - hx of trauma, erythema of skin, swelling and edema, POOP, fever and hypotension
- can also result from significant peripheral vascular disease - diabetes
tx - surgical debridement and BS abx
- if untreated - progresses to rapid discoloration of skin, purulent discharge, bullae, and necrosis
thrombophlebitis
erythema, tenderness, swelling, cord-like vein
aortic injury
consider in MVC or falls >10ft - also in rapid deceleration
- traumatic rupture of aorta - also consider if first rib, scapula, or sternum are broken (because these are very hard to break)
blunt chest trauma sxs - variable but anxiety, tachy, and hypertension are common
- get CXR! - will see mediastinal widening
- can also have tracheal deviation to R or depression of L mainstem bronchus
- CXR –> get chest CT and angiography (possibly transesophageal echo) in stable patients
other injuries in trauma
- myocardial contusion - tachy, rib fractures or sternal fracture, new bundle branch blocks or arrhythmia
- pulm contusion - opacities caused by hemorrhage in lung segments
hemoptysis
pulmonary Tb - on CXR - patchy or nodular opacity, multiple nodules, cavity in apical-posterior segments of upper lobes of lungs
- place pt in respiratory isolation
hemoptysis - rule out oropharyngeal and GI causes
- pulmonary cause
- mild/moderate - CXR, CBC, coag studies, RFTs, UA, rheum work up –> CT scan and possibly bronch
- in pts with hemoptysis and hemodynamic instability or poor gas exchange, severe dyspnea, or massive hemoptysis - FIRST intubate
- massive hemoptysis = >600 mL/day or 100 mL/hr –> bronchoscopy –> pulm arteriography if that fails –> urgent thoracotomy
- give FFP to patients with coagulopathy as the cause of hemoptysis (INR > 1.5)
DVTs and anticoagulation
factor Xa inhibitors - rivaroxaban, apixaban, fondaparinux (indirect)
- factor X activates thrombin
direct thrombin inhibitors - argatroban, bivalirudin, dabigatran
- thrombin converts fibrinogen to fibrin
provoked DVT due to surgery - 3 mo of treatment
- start on unfractionated heparin/LMWH, warfarin later that same day
- continue unfractionated heparin/LMWH for 4-5d - until INR is at 2-3
- dont use LMWH and rivaroxaban in pts with ESRD - because these are both metabolized by the kidney
stress fracture
risk factors - repetitive activities, abrupt increase in physical activity, inadequate Ca or vitamin D intake, decreased caloric intake
- female athlete triad - low caloric intake, hypomenorrhea/amenorrhea, low bone density
px - insidious onset of localized pain, point tenderness at fracture site
- XR may be negative in first 6 weeks management
- rest and analgesics (acetaminophen)
- reduce weight bearing for 4-6 wks or cast (and repeat xray in 2 wks)
- refer to ortho for fracture at high risk for malunion (anterior tibial cortex, 5th metatarsal, manage with casting or internal fixation)
medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints) - anterior leg pain, but diffuse tenderness
- also more common in overweight individuals
pancreatic adenocarcinoma
pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer deaths in the US
- more common in men and AA
RF - *smoking*, hereditary pancreatitis (relatives, BRCA, PJ syndrome), chronic pancreatitis, obesity and lack of physical activity most common
sxs - B symptoms (>85%), *abdominal pain/back pain* (80%), jaundice
- others include recent onset DM, unexplained migratory superficial thrombophlebitis (Trousseau sign, most likely because the tumor releases mucins that react with plts to form thrombi)
- hepatomegaly and ascites with mets
L supraclavicular adenopathy (Virchows node) in pts with metastatic disease
labs/imaging
- cholestasis - increased alkP and direct bili
- CAA 19-9 - will tell about tumor response to chemo
- get abd US if jaundiced or CT scan if not jaundiced (ERCP /MRCP if first two fail)
- ERCP can be used in pts with cholestasis - stenting
most tumors are at the head of the pancreas - will present with jaundice, steatorrhea
- as these tumors expand –> compress pancreatic duct and common bile duct –> double duct sign
- Courvoisier sign - distended, non-tender gallbladder
jaundice can appear late if tumor is in tail or body ampullary cancer
- will present with obstructive jaundice + anemia and blood in stool
- start with scopes










