VA-BC Vascular Anatomy & Physiology 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient develops a palpable cord-like induration along the course of a peripheral IV site vein. This finding is MOST consistent with:
- Infiltration
- Hematoma formation
- Thrombophlebitis (Correct answer)
- Arterial puncture
Correct answer: Thrombophlebitis
A palpable cord-like induration along a vein indicates thrombophlebitis, where clot formation and inflammation have occurred within the vessel wall.
Question 2: The right lymphatic duct drains lymph from which region of the body?
- Entire left side of the body
- Entire lower body and left upper body
- Right upper quadrant of the body (Correct answer)
- Right and left lower extremities only
Correct answer: Right upper quadrant of the body
The right lymphatic duct drains only the right upper quadrant (right arm, right side of head/neck, right thorax), while the thoracic duct drains everywhere else.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes the Windkessel effect?
- Venoconstriction increasing preload during exercise
- Arterial compliance buffering pulsatile flow into a more continuous flow (Correct answer)
- Capillary recruitment during high cardiac output states
- Autoregulation maintaining constant organ perfusion
Correct answer: Arterial compliance buffering pulsatile flow into a more continuous flow
The Windkessel effect describes how elastic large arteries expand during systole and recoil during diastole, converting pulsatile cardiac output into more continuous flow.
Question 4: In ultrasound-guided vascular access, a vein is distinguished from an artery primarily because veins are:
- Hyperechoic compared to arteries
- Compressible with gentle probe pressure (Correct answer)
- Located deeper than arteries in most sites
- Pulsatile on color Doppler imaging
Correct answer: Compressible with gentle probe pressure
Veins collapse (compress) easily with gentle probe pressure because of their low intraluminal pressure and thin walls, unlike arteries which resist compression.
Question 5: Which term describes the phenomenon where flow velocity increases as blood passes through a stenotic vessel segment?
- Laminar flow
- Bernoulli effect (Correct answer)
- Turbulent flow
- Poiseuille flow
Correct answer: Bernoulli effect
The Bernoulli effect describes the inverse relationship between pressure and velocity; as a stenotic segment narrows, blood must accelerate to maintain flow continuity.
Question 6: The innominate (brachiocephalic) vein is formed by the union of which two vessels?
- Internal jugular and external jugular veins
- Subclavian and internal jugular veins (Correct answer)
- Subclavian and external jugular veins
- Axillary and internal jugular veins
Correct answer: Subclavian and internal jugular veins
The brachiocephalic (innominate) vein is formed by the union of the subclavian vein and the internal jugular vein on each side of the neck.
Question 7: Endothelial cells lining blood vessels actively prevent clot formation under normal conditions primarily by releasing:
- Thromboxane A2 and fibrinogen
- Prostacyclin (PGI2) and nitric oxide (Correct answer)
- Tissue factor and von Willebrand factor
- Thrombin and plasminogen activator inhibitor
Correct answer: Prostacyclin (PGI2) and nitric oxide
Healthy endothelium releases prostacyclin and nitric oxide, which inhibit platelet aggregation and promote vasodilation, maintaining a non-thrombogenic surface.
VA-BC Vascular Anatomy & Physiology 4
A patient develops a palpable cord-like induration along the course of a peripheral IV site vein.
This finding is MOST consistent with: