ABA APPLIED Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

MAC definition

Minimum alveolar concentration of an inhaled anesthetic that prevents movement in 50% of patients to a standardized surgical stimulus; lower MAC means higher potency.

Oxygen delivery formula

DO2 equals cardiac output multiplied by arterial oxygen content; arterial content depends mainly on hemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation.

Propofol hypotension mechanism

Propofol causes vasodilation and myocardial depression, producing dose-dependent hypotension, especially in hypovolemic or elderly patients.

Succinylcholine metabolism

Succinylcholine is hydrolyzed by plasma pseudocholinesterase; deficient or atypical enzyme activity prolongs neuromuscular blockade.

Train-of-four monitoring

Four supramaximal stimuli are delivered to a peripheral nerve; a TOF ratio of at least 0.9 indicates adequate recovery from nondepolarizing blockade.

Malignant hyperthermia treatment

Dantrolene 2.5 mg/kg IV is the specific treatment; discontinue triggering agents and provide cooling and supportive care.

Lipid emulsion rescue

Intravenous 20% lipid emulsion is the first-line antidote for local anesthetic systemic toxicity, given as a bolus followed by infusion.

Mallampati classification

A bedside airway assessment grading visibility of oropharyngeal structures I to IV; higher grades correlate with difficult laryngoscopy.

Cormack-Lehane grades

Laryngoscopic view classification I to IV based on glottic visibility; grades III and IV indicate difficult or failed visualization.

Hyperbaric spinal solution

A local anesthetic solution denser than cerebrospinal fluid; it spreads with gravity, so patient positioning controls the level of block.

Aortocaval compression

In late pregnancy, the gravid uterus compresses the inferior vena cava and aorta when supine; left uterine displacement relieves it.

Pediatric ETT size formula

Uncuffed endotracheal tube internal diameter in millimeters is estimated as age in years divided by four, plus four.

Cardiac output equation

Cardiac output equals heart rate multiplied by stroke volume; stroke volume depends on preload, afterload, and contractility.

Thermodilution cardiac output

A pulmonary artery catheter injects cold fluid and measures temperature change downstream; the dilution curve estimates cardiac output.

Mixed venous oxygen saturation

SvO2 reflects the balance between oxygen delivery and consumption; low values suggest inadequate delivery or increased consumption.

Bier block technique

Intravenous regional anesthesia uses limb exsanguination, tourniquet inflation, and injection of a low-toxicity local anesthetic such as lidocaine.

Obstetric hypotension management

Neuraxial-induced hypotension in labor is treated with left uterine displacement, intravenous fluids, and vasopressors such as phenylephrine.

Infant airway anatomy

Infants have a large tongue, high anterior larynx, and narrow subglottis, increasing obstruction risk and post-intubation croup.

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

Pulmonary vessels constrict in response to alveolar hypoxia, diverting blood from poorly ventilated lung and reducing shunt during one-lung ventilation.

Interscalene block risk

Interscalene brachial plexus block frequently causes ipsilateral phrenic nerve palsy and should be used cautiously in patients with respiratory compromise.

Supraclavicular block risk

Supraclavicular brachial plexus block carries a higher risk of pneumothorax because of proximity to the pleural dome.

Preoxygenation purpose

Denitrogenation before induction increases functional residual capacity oxygen reserve, prolonging safe apnea time during difficult airway management.

Rapid sequence induction

Administration of a rapid-onset induction agent followed by a neuromuscular blocker without positive-pressure ventilation, reducing aspiration risk.

Cricoid pressure

Anterior pressure on the cricoid cartilage compresses the esophagus to reduce gastric insufflation and aspiration during induction.

Sevoflurane characteristics

Sevoflurane is a nonpungent volatile agent with low blood solubility, allowing rapid induction and emergence, and is useful in pediatric anesthesia.

Nitrous oxide contraindications

Nitrous oxide expands gas-filled spaces and is avoided in pneumothorax, bowel obstruction, and middle ear or intraocular gas procedures.

Pulse oximetry limitation

Pulse oximetry estimates arterial saturation but is unreliable with poor perfusion, motion, dyshemoglobinemias, and very low saturation.

Capnography waveform

End-tidal CO2 waveform confirms tracheal intubation, detects esophageal placement, and identifies bronchospasm, obstruction, or circuit disconnect.

Epidural vs spinal anesthesia

Spinal anesthesia injects local anesthetic into cerebrospinal fluid for a rapid dense block; epidural anesthesia places drug in the epidural space with catheter titration.

Neonatal anesthesia consideration

Neonates have immature hepatic and renal clearance, higher water content, and reduced protein binding, altering drug dosing and duration.

Pulmonary artery occlusion pressure

Pulmonary artery occlusion pressure estimates left atrial pressure and preload, though it is influenced by positive-pressure ventilation and valvular disease.

Postdural puncture headache

Headache after dural puncture is positional and caused by cerebrospinal fluid leak; conservative treatment, caffeine, or an epidural blood patch may be used.