Assessment and Evaluation Flashcards
7 cards from real FANZCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Assessment and Evaluation flashcards as text
Which electrocardiographic finding during preoperative assessment represents an absolute contraindication to elective non-cardiac surgery without further investigation?
Answer: New left bundle branch block (LBBB)
A new LBBB may indicate acute myocardial ischaemia or cardiomyopathy and mandates urgent cardiology evaluation before elective surgery.
A patient with a known pheochromocytoma requires assessment before adrenalectomy. Which biochemical marker is the most sensitive indicator of catecholamine excess?
Answer: Plasma metanephrines
Plasma free metanephrines have a sensitivity >95% for phaeochromocytoma and are the preferred first-line biochemical test.
When assessing depth of anaesthesia using the Bispectral Index (BIS), which range is targeted to minimise the risk of awareness while avoiding excessive depth?
Answer: 40–60
A BIS of 40–60 corresponds to an adequate depth of general anaesthesia, balancing the risks of intraoperative awareness and excessive anaesthetic depth.
In a patient with severe mitral stenosis, which haemodynamic goal is most critical during the perioperative period?
Answer: Controlled heart rate to optimise diastolic filling time
In mitral stenosis, a controlled (slow) heart rate is essential to allow adequate time for ventricular filling across the stenosed valve and maintain cardiac output.
Which preoperative pulmonary function test result best predicts increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications after thoracic surgery?
Answer: Predicted postoperative FEV1 (ppoFEV1) < 40%
A ppoFEV1 <40% after planned resection is a major predictor of postoperative respiratory insufficiency and mortality in thoracic surgery.
Which clinical finding during airway assessment is most specifically associated with potential difficulty with supraglottic airway device insertion?
Answer: Limited mouth opening (< 2 cm interincisor distance)
Severely limited mouth opening (<2 cm) impairs both direct laryngoscopy and insertion of supraglottic airway devices such as LMAs.
A 55-year-old male presents for preoperative evaluation before vascular surgery. His RCRI score is 3. According to the Lee Revised Cardiac Risk Index, what is the approximate risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE)?
Answer: ~3–7%
An RCRI score of 3 corresponds to approximately 3–7% risk of major adverse cardiac events, placing the patient in a high-risk category warranting further evaluation.