ABA ABA Regional & Neuraxial Anesthesia 2

Question 1

Epidural analgesia for labor uses which nerve roots as the PRIMARY target for pain relief during the first stage of labor?

Accepted Answer

T10-L1

Answer

First-stage labor pain from uterine contractions and cervical dilation is transmitted via T10-L1 visceral afferents; second-stage pain also involves S2-S4.

Question 2

Which complication is associated with unintentional intravascular injection during an interscalene brachial plexus block?

Accepted Answer

Vertebral artery injection causing seizures

Answer

The interscalene block is performed adjacent to the vertebral artery; even 1 mL of local anesthetic injected intra-arterially can cause immediate seizures.

Question 3

Continuous epidural infusion for postoperative analgesia typically combines a local anesthetic with an opioid. The PRIMARY benefit of this combination is:

Accepted Answer

Reducing total opioid requirements with synergistic analgesia at lower individual drug doses

Answer

Combining low-dose local anesthetic with epidural opioid exploits synergy at spinal opioid receptors, achieving better analgesia at lower doses of each drug.

Question 4

Horner syndrome (ptosis, miosis, anhidrosis) after a regional block indicates blockade of the:

Accepted Answer

Cervical sympathetic chain (stellate ganglion)

Answer

Horner syndrome results from blockade of the cervical sympathetic trunk or stellate ganglion, commonly seen after interscalene or stellate ganglion blocks.

Question 5

An absolute contraindication to neuraxial anesthesia is:

Accepted Answer

Patient refusal

Answer

Patient refusal is an absolute contraindication to any anesthetic technique; informed consent is a fundamental ethical and legal requirement.

(ABA) ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) Board Certification Practice Test

(ABA) ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) Board Certification Practice Test

ABA ABA Regional & Neuraxial Anesthesia 2