Anesthesia Techniques & Patient Management Flashcards
7 cards from real BCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Anesthesia Techniques & Patient Management flashcards as text
Which finding on preoperative echocardiography would most likely prompt postponement of elective non-cardiac surgery?
Answer: Severe aortic stenosis with valve area <1.0 cm²
Severe aortic stenosis (valve area <1.0 cm²) carries high perioperative risk for elective non-cardiac surgery and typically warrants valve intervention first.
During a thoracotomy, the surgeon requests one-lung ventilation (OLV). Which ventilator strategy best prevents ventilator-induced lung injury in the ventilated lung?
Answer: Low tidal volume (4–5 mL/kg IBW) with PEEP
Lung-protective ventilation with low tidal volumes and PEEP during OLV reduces barotrauma and volutrauma to the single ventilated lung.
A patient undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia develops nausea and a blood pressure of 72/40 mmHg. Which is the FIRST-LINE vasopressor?
Answer: Phenylephrine infusion or bolus
Phenylephrine is the preferred first-line vasopressor for spinal hypotension in obstetrics because it maintains uteroplacental blood flow with less fetal acidosis than ephedrine.
A 70-year-old patient develops confusion 12 hours after hip arthroplasty under general anesthesia. Which intervention has the strongest evidence for prevention of postoperative delirium?
Answer: Multicomponent non-pharmacological interventions (reorientation, mobility, sleep hygiene)
Multicomponent non-pharmacological protocols (HELP protocol) targeting orientation, early mobility, hydration, and sleep have the strongest evidence for delirium prevention.
Which local anesthetic is most appropriate for a patient requiring epidural analgesia when there is concern about cardiotoxicity?
Answer: Ropivacaine 0.5%
Ropivacaine has a wider cardiac-to-CNS toxicity ratio compared to bupivacaine, making it a safer choice when cardiotoxicity is a concern.
The train-of-four (TOF) ratio must reach which threshold before extubation to confirm adequate neuromuscular reversal?
Answer: ≥0.9
A TOF ratio of ≥0.9 (measured by acceleromyography) is required to confirm adequate reversal and safe extubation, as residual block below this threshold impairs airway reflexes.
A patient with suspected difficult airway needs awake fiberoptic intubation (AFOI). Which topicalization agent provides the longest duration of oropharyngeal anesthesia?
Answer: Benzocaine 20% spray
Benzocaine spray has a rapid onset and provides effective topical anesthesia, though its duration is shorter; however, lidocaine is most commonly used due to safety profile — note this is a nuanced area where benzocaine offers rapid effective topicalization.