General Surgery Board Review Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield General Surgery Board Review facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Chylous ascites after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is best managed initially with which approach? → Low-fat diet with medium-chain triglycerides or total parenteral nutrition
2. During a Whipple procedure, which of the following anastomoses is NOT performed? → Choledochoduodenostomy
3. A 70-year-old patient with a serum albumin of 2.1 g/dL requires elective sigmoid resection. What is the most appropriate next step? → Delay surgery 2-4 weeks for preoperative nutritional optimization
4. McBurney's point, used to locate the appendix, is located at which anatomical position? → Two-thirds the distance from the right ASIS to the umbilicus
5. Which of the following best describes the role of a hospital's Institutional Review Board (IRB)? → Protecting the rights and welfare of human research subjects
6. A 25-year-old unrestrained driver sustains blunt chest trauma. CXR shows a widened mediastinum. BP is 90/60 mmHg. What is the next best step? → CT angiography of the chest
7. During robotic-assisted surgery, 'instrument wristing' refers to which capability that conventional laparoscopy lacks? → Seven degrees of freedom articulation mimicking the human wrist
8. When obtaining informed consent from a non-English-speaking patient for an elective cholecystectomy, the correct approach is to: → Use a qualified medical interpreter service
9. When evaluating evidence for adopting a new surgical technique, which GRADE rating indicates the highest certainty of evidence? → High
10. Which artery is most commonly injured during laparoscopic cholecystectomy leading to a major vascular complication? → Right hepatic artery
11. The ethical principle of 'justice' in surgical practice most directly applies when a surgeon: → Allocates scarce ICU beds equitably among critically ill patients
12. A patient with a suspected sigmoid volvulus is hemodynamically stable without signs of peritonitis. What is the first-line treatment? → Flexible sigmoidoscopy with rectal tube decompression
13. A patient asks their surgeon to provide a letter supporting a disability claim that overstates their functional limitations. The surgeon should: → Refuse and explain that honesty is a professional obligation
14. Which scoring system most commonly assesses severity of acute pancreatitis within the first 48 hours of admission? → Ranson's criteria
15. What is the standard surgical treatment for a stable patient with a perforated duodenal ulcer presenting within 6 hours of onset? → Omental patch repair (Graham patch)
16. A 55-year-old male presents with painless jaundice, weight loss, and a palpable gallbladder. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis? → Pancreatic head carcinoma
17. How should an General Surgery Board Review professional respond to a compliance violation? → Report it promptly, investigate the root cause, and implement corrective actions
18. Which ASA physical status classification is assigned to a patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life? → ASA IV
19. Which of the following is the best sign that an IVC filter has to be placed? → in a patient with recent pulmonary emboli despite anticoagulation with Coumadin
20. The Modified Radical Neck Dissection (MRND) preserves which three structures compared to a radical neck dissection? → Internal jugular vein, sternocleidomastoid, spinal accessory nerve
21. The Kocher maneuver (mobilization) provides surgical access to which structure? → Duodenum and head of pancreas
22. Which of the following best describes a 'sentinel event' as defined by The Joint Commission? → An unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical or psychological injury
23. Regression to the mean is most likely to confound results in a study that: → Enrolls patients based on extreme baseline values without a control group
24. How does continuous improvement apply to General Surgery Board Review quality management? → It involves ongoing incremental enhancements to processes based on data and feedback
25. The Pfannenstiel incision primarily provides access to which anatomical region? → Pelvis and lower abdomen
26. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) is typically entered into by a health care provider as part of a settlement involving: → Allegations of fraud or False Claims Act violations against federal health programs
27. The Shouldice repair for inguinal hernia primarily relies on which tissue layer for reconstruction? → Transversalis fascia
28. The 'surgical stress response' to major surgery includes all of the following EXCEPT: → Decreased catecholamine release
29. Electromagnetic surgical navigation systems used in liver resection rely on which principle to track instrument position? → Sensors detecting distortion of a generated electromagnetic field to calculate 3D position
30. What is the benefit of standardized digital reporting in General Surgery Board Review practice? → It ensures consistency, enables comparison, and facilitates regulatory compliance