Risk Assessment & Management Flashcards
7 cards from real ABCS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Risk Assessment & Management flashcards as text
Which factor is the strongest independent predictor of postoperative pulmonary embolism following cosmetic surgery?
Answer: Concurrent multiple procedures with operative time exceeding 6 hours
Prolonged operative time combined with multiple simultaneous procedures is among the strongest independent risk factors for VTE and PE after cosmetic surgery.
A 35-year-old patient discloses she takes St. John's Wort daily. Which perioperative risk does this most directly raise?
Answer: Altered drug metabolism and potential serotonin syndrome with anesthetic agents
St. John's Wort induces CYP enzymes and can interact with anesthetic agents and opioids, raising the risk of serotonin syndrome and unpredictable drug levels.
The Caprini Risk Assessment Model stratifies patients for perioperative:
Answer: Venous thromboembolism risk
The Caprini score is a validated tool for stratifying VTE risk in surgical patients and guiding prophylaxis intensity.
During blepharoplasty, a patient develops sudden bradycardia and hypotension after periorbital injection. The most likely cause is:
Answer: Oculocardiac reflex triggered by periorbital pressure or traction
The oculocardiac reflex (trigeminovagal) is triggered by traction or pressure on periorbital structures and can cause bradycardia and hemodynamic compromise.
In the informed consent process for rhinoplasty, which element specifically addresses risk management obligations?
Answer: Clearly disclosing material risks, alternatives, and the surgeon's revision policy
Informed consent requires disclosure of material risks, alternatives, expected outcomes, and any limitations—this directly fulfills the surgeon's risk communication duty.
A patient with a history of keloid scarring requests breast augmentation via inframammary incision. The best risk management approach is to:
Answer: Document the keloid history, counsel extensively on scar outcomes, and consider a test site
Thorough counseling, documented informed consent, and potentially a test wound or scar management protocol are appropriate risk mitigation steps in keloid-prone patients.
Which postoperative sign in a facelift patient warrants immediate surgical re-exploration?
Answer: A rapidly expanding hematoma with skin color change and increasing pain
A rapidly expanding hematoma with skin changes suggests arterial bleeding and impending skin necrosis, requiring immediate operative drainage.