SURGERY EOR COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
• What is the measurement of NORMAL postvoid residual volume?.
Answer: 100 mL or less
• Are patients over the age of 50 years old more or less likely to develop
postoperative urinary retention?.
Answer: More likely
• When is hematuria considered significant?.
Answer: When there are more than three red blood cells per high-power
field.
• What is acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Sudden loss of blood flow to an extremity due to an embolus or
thrombus
• What is the classic presentation of acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: The 6 Ps: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Paralysis,
Poikilothermia
• What is the most common cause of acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Embolism from atrial fibrillation or recent myocardial infarction
• What is the most appropriate surgical procedure for malignant lesions
located in the appendix, cecum, ascending colon, and hepatic flexure?.
Answer: Right hemicolectomy
• What imaging is used to confirm acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Duplex ultrasound or CT angiography
• What is the first-line treatment for acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Immediate anticoagulation with heparin
,• What is the most appropriate surgical procedure for highly suspicious
lesions of the left transverse colon, splenic flexure, or proximal to
mid-descending colon?.
Answer: Left hemicolectomy
• What is the definitive treatment for acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Surgical thrombectomy or embolectomy
• Blood supply to the left transverse colon, splenic flexure and proximal to
mid-descending colon.
Answer: middle colic artery and the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA)
• Describe sigmoid colectomy.
Answer: -removes the colon from the distal descending colon to the start of
the rectum. -performed for chronic diverticulosis, sigmoid volvulus,
ischemic colitis, or trauma.
• What is a complication of untreated acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Irreversible limb ischemia and potential amputation
• Blood supply to the distal decreasing colon to the start of the rectum.
Answer: inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and sigmoid branches
• What is the most appropriate surgical procedure for irritable bowel disease,
diverticular disease, or fulminant Clostridioides difficile colitis?.
Answer: Total colectomy
• What is the role of thrombolytics in acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Considered if surgery is not immediately available or for distal
occlusions
• How does compartment syndrome relate to acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: It can develop after reperfusion, requiring fasciotomy
• What is the main function of the colon?.
Answer: To recycle and reabsorb the contents received from the small
intestine. Nutrients that are reabsorbed include water, electrolytes, and other
metabolites.
,• Which vein is typically accessed for the placement of a peripherally inserted
central catheter line?.
Answer: The right basilic vein
• What is the most appropriate anatomic location for central line placement?.
Answer: Subclavian or internal jugular vein
• What are the risk factors for acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, recent cardiac events
• What is the correct location for an endotracheal tube tip for adult patients?.
Answer: Within the trachea, with the tip 3 to 5 cm above the carina
• What are some effective strategies to minimize sore throat during a
procedure?.
Answer: -selecting an appropriate-size endotracheal tube -avoiding high cuff
pressures in the airway device -use of medications such as lidocaine,
NSAID, or corticosteroids.
• Peripheral artery disease blockage in the aorta and iliac (AORTOILIAC)
artery causes cramps, claudication and pain in what location(s)?.
Answer: Butt Hips Thighs
• What is an aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Abnormal dilation of the aorta, typically >3 cm
• Peripheral artery disease blockage in the common FEMORAL artery causes
cramps, claudication and pain in what location(s)?.
Answer: Thigh Calf
• Peripheral artery disease blockage in the POPLITEAL artery causes cramps,
claudication and pain in what location(s)?.
Answer: Lower 1/3 of calf
• What is the most common location for an aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Abdominal aorta
• Peripheral artery disease blockage in the TIBIAL artery causes cramps,
, claudication and pain in what location(s)?.
Answer: Foot/Ankle
• What are the most common sites of peripheral artery disease (PAD)?.
Answer: Femoral and popliteal arteries (80-90% of patients)
• Early postoperative fever (Days 0-3).
Answer: urinary tract infection, pneumonia, early surgical site infection
(SSI), venous thromboembolism, alcohol withdrawal, myocardial infarction,
and thyrotoxicosis
• What are the risk factors for developing an aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Smoking, hypertension, family history, male gender
• What imaging is used to screen for an aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Abdominal ultrasound
• What is the threshold for elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm
(AAA)?.
Answer: >5.5 cm or rapid expansion (>0.5 cm/year)
• What is the typical presentation of a ruptured aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Sudden onset of severe abdominal or back pain with hypotension
• Late postoperative fever (Days 4-30).
Answer: Surgical Site Infection, deep/organ space infections,
catheter-related infections, an anastomotic leak, venous thromboembolism,
and gout
• Delayed postoperative fever (Days >30).
Answer: implanted devices, including hernia mesh and orthopedic
prostheses.
• What is the treatment for a ruptured aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Emergent surgical repair
• What medication should be administered if malignant hyperthermia occurs
to limit morbidity and mortality?.
Answer: Dantrolene
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
• What is the measurement of NORMAL postvoid residual volume?.
Answer: 100 mL or less
• Are patients over the age of 50 years old more or less likely to develop
postoperative urinary retention?.
Answer: More likely
• When is hematuria considered significant?.
Answer: When there are more than three red blood cells per high-power
field.
• What is acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Sudden loss of blood flow to an extremity due to an embolus or
thrombus
• What is the classic presentation of acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: The 6 Ps: Pain, Pallor, Pulselessness, Paresthesia, Paralysis,
Poikilothermia
• What is the most common cause of acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Embolism from atrial fibrillation or recent myocardial infarction
• What is the most appropriate surgical procedure for malignant lesions
located in the appendix, cecum, ascending colon, and hepatic flexure?.
Answer: Right hemicolectomy
• What imaging is used to confirm acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Duplex ultrasound or CT angiography
• What is the first-line treatment for acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Immediate anticoagulation with heparin
,• What is the most appropriate surgical procedure for highly suspicious
lesions of the left transverse colon, splenic flexure, or proximal to
mid-descending colon?.
Answer: Left hemicolectomy
• What is the definitive treatment for acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Surgical thrombectomy or embolectomy
• Blood supply to the left transverse colon, splenic flexure and proximal to
mid-descending colon.
Answer: middle colic artery and the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA)
• Describe sigmoid colectomy.
Answer: -removes the colon from the distal descending colon to the start of
the rectum. -performed for chronic diverticulosis, sigmoid volvulus,
ischemic colitis, or trauma.
• What is a complication of untreated acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Irreversible limb ischemia and potential amputation
• Blood supply to the distal decreasing colon to the start of the rectum.
Answer: inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) and sigmoid branches
• What is the most appropriate surgical procedure for irritable bowel disease,
diverticular disease, or fulminant Clostridioides difficile colitis?.
Answer: Total colectomy
• What is the role of thrombolytics in acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Considered if surgery is not immediately available or for distal
occlusions
• How does compartment syndrome relate to acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: It can develop after reperfusion, requiring fasciotomy
• What is the main function of the colon?.
Answer: To recycle and reabsorb the contents received from the small
intestine. Nutrients that are reabsorbed include water, electrolytes, and other
metabolites.
,• Which vein is typically accessed for the placement of a peripherally inserted
central catheter line?.
Answer: The right basilic vein
• What is the most appropriate anatomic location for central line placement?.
Answer: Subclavian or internal jugular vein
• What are the risk factors for acute arterial occlusion?.
Answer: Atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, recent cardiac events
• What is the correct location for an endotracheal tube tip for adult patients?.
Answer: Within the trachea, with the tip 3 to 5 cm above the carina
• What are some effective strategies to minimize sore throat during a
procedure?.
Answer: -selecting an appropriate-size endotracheal tube -avoiding high cuff
pressures in the airway device -use of medications such as lidocaine,
NSAID, or corticosteroids.
• Peripheral artery disease blockage in the aorta and iliac (AORTOILIAC)
artery causes cramps, claudication and pain in what location(s)?.
Answer: Butt Hips Thighs
• What is an aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Abnormal dilation of the aorta, typically >3 cm
• Peripheral artery disease blockage in the common FEMORAL artery causes
cramps, claudication and pain in what location(s)?.
Answer: Thigh Calf
• Peripheral artery disease blockage in the POPLITEAL artery causes cramps,
claudication and pain in what location(s)?.
Answer: Lower 1/3 of calf
• What is the most common location for an aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Abdominal aorta
• Peripheral artery disease blockage in the TIBIAL artery causes cramps,
, claudication and pain in what location(s)?.
Answer: Foot/Ankle
• What are the most common sites of peripheral artery disease (PAD)?.
Answer: Femoral and popliteal arteries (80-90% of patients)
• Early postoperative fever (Days 0-3).
Answer: urinary tract infection, pneumonia, early surgical site infection
(SSI), venous thromboembolism, alcohol withdrawal, myocardial infarction,
and thyrotoxicosis
• What are the risk factors for developing an aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Smoking, hypertension, family history, male gender
• What imaging is used to screen for an aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Abdominal ultrasound
• What is the threshold for elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm
(AAA)?.
Answer: >5.5 cm or rapid expansion (>0.5 cm/year)
• What is the typical presentation of a ruptured aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Sudden onset of severe abdominal or back pain with hypotension
• Late postoperative fever (Days 4-30).
Answer: Surgical Site Infection, deep/organ space infections,
catheter-related infections, an anastomotic leak, venous thromboembolism,
and gout
• Delayed postoperative fever (Days >30).
Answer: implanted devices, including hernia mesh and orthopedic
prostheses.
• What is the treatment for a ruptured aortic aneurysm?.
Answer: Emergent surgical repair
• What medication should be administered if malignant hyperthermia occurs
to limit morbidity and mortality?.
Answer: Dantrolene
