Practice Test Geeks(ABA) American Board of Anesthesiology Practice Test
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Emergency Response Procedures Flashcards

7 cards from real ABA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Emergency Response Procedures flashcards as text

  1. A patient develops pulseless electrical activity (PEA) intraoperatively. Which mnemonic summarizes the reversible causes to address immediately?

    Answer: 5Hs and 5Ts (Hypovolemia, Hypoxia, Hydrogen ion, Hypo/hyperkalemia, Hypothermia; Tension pneumothorax, Tamponade, Toxins, Thrombosis pulmonary, Thrombosis coronary)

    The 5Hs and 5Ts mnemonic from ACLS identifies all reversible causes of PEA that must be systematically evaluated and treated during resuscitation.

  2. During a laparoscopic procedure, end-tidal CO2 abruptly rises to 80 mmHg and SpO2 drops to 78% with decreased breath sounds on the left. The MOST likely cause is:

    Answer: Pneumothorax from trocar injury

    Trocar injury to the pleura during laparoscopy can cause pneumothorax, presenting with unilateral decreased breath sounds, rising ETCO2, and hypoxia.

  3. A patient receiving a blood transfusion develops fever, chills, flank pain, and hemoglobinuria 15 minutes into the transfusion. What is the FIRST step?

    Answer: Stop the transfusion immediately and maintain IV access with normal saline

    Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction requires immediately stopping the transfusion and maintaining IV access to treat hypotension and prevent renal failure from free hemoglobin.

  4. After induction with succinylcholine, a patient's potassium rises from 4.2 to 7.8 mEq/L causing tall peaked T-waves. Which patient population is at highest risk for this hyperkalemic response?

    Answer: Patients with burn injury more than 48 hours old or denervation injuries

    Upregulation of extrajunctional acetylcholine receptors after burns (>24–48 h) or denervation (spinal cord injury, stroke) causes massive potassium efflux with succinylcholine.

  5. During a carotid endarterectomy under general anesthesia, the patient suddenly develops ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, and aVF. The most appropriate immediate action is:

    Answer: Notify the surgeon to abort the procedure; optimize coronary perfusion pressure

    Intraoperative inferior STEMI requires immediate notification of the surgical team and hemodynamic optimization (MAP >70) to maintain coronary perfusion while arranging emergent intervention.

  6. A patient undergoing posterior fossa surgery in the sitting position develops sudden hypotension, a drop in ETCO2, and a characteristic sound on precordial Doppler. What is the MOST specific monitoring finding for venous air embolism?

    Answer: Mill-wheel murmur on precordial Doppler

    The mill-wheel murmur detected by precordial Doppler is the most sensitive and specific early sign of venous air embolism, preceding hemodynamic compromise.

  7. Intraoperatively, a patient's arterial line waveform shows pulsus paradoxus greater than 15 mmHg and CVP is elevated at 22 mmHg. The most likely diagnosis is:

    Answer: Cardiac tamponade

    Pulsus paradoxus >10 mmHg with elevated CVP (Beck's triad: hypotension, elevated JVP, muffled heart sounds) is classic for cardiac tamponade.