ABPANC Perianesthesia Complications Flashcards
6 cards from real ABPANC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 ABPANC Perianesthesia Complications flashcards as text
A patient with a history of obstructive sleep apnea is recovering in the PACU. Which monitoring parameter is most critical?
Answer: Continuous pulse oximetry and capnography
OSA patients are at high risk for upper airway obstruction and hypoventilation; continuous SpO2 and capnography monitoring detects respiratory compromise early.
Which PACU complication is associated with prolonged use of a tourniquet during orthopedic surgery?
Answer: Tourniquet pain, nerve injury, and post-reperfusion swelling upon release
Tourniquet use can cause ischemic pain, nerve compression injury, and reactive swelling/reperfusion changes when deflated after prolonged use.
A patient in the PACU after bowel resection suddenly develops tachycardia, hypotension, and abdominal rigidity. What complication should the nurse suspect?
Answer: Anastomotic leak with peritonitis
Hemodynamic instability with abdominal rigidity in a bowel surgery patient indicates an anastomotic leak causing peritonitis, a surgical emergency.
Which intervention is most effective in preventing post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) after spinal anesthesia?
Answer: Using the smallest gauge spinal needle and a pencil-point tip
Using small-gauge pencil-point (atraumatic) spinal needles reduces the size and leakage of cerebrospinal fluid through the dural puncture, decreasing the incidence of PDPH.
A patient begins to bleed excessively from the surgical site in the PACU with decreased platelet count and elevated PT/INR. Which complication does this suggest?
Answer: Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
DIC is characterized by simultaneous widespread clotting and bleeding, resulting in thrombocytopenia and elevated coagulation times with diffuse hemorrhage.
A patient in the PACU after lung resection develops sudden tracheal deviation toward the unaffected side, absent breath sounds, and severe respiratory distress. What complication is most likely?
Answer: Tension pneumothorax
Tracheal deviation away from the affected side with absent breath sounds and hemodynamic compromise indicates tension pneumothorax, requiring immediate needle decompression.