Afghanistan Anesthesia Technology Exit Exam flashcards

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

MAC

Minimum alveolar concentration at which 50% of patients do not move in response to a standard surgical stimulus; used to compare potency of volatile anesthetics.

Functional residual capacity

Volume of gas remaining in the lungs after a normal expiration; equals expiratory reserve volume plus residual volume and serves as the oxygen reservoir during apnea.

ASA physical status

Classification I to VI describing a patient's systemic disease before surgery; the E suffix denotes emergency surgery and does not change the underlying class.

Mallampati classification

Airway assessment grading I to IV based on visible oropharyngeal structures with the mouth open and tongue protruded; classes III and IV suggest difficult laryngoscopy.

Cormack-Lehane grade

Laryngeal view grading during direct laryngoscopy from I (full view of cords) to IV (no glottic structures visible); grades III and IV indicate a difficult view.

Capnography

Continuous measurement and display of exhaled carbon dioxide as a waveform; sustained waveform confirms tracheal intubation and detects apnea or disconnection early.

Propofol induction dose

Typically 1.5 to 2.5 mg/kg intravenously in adults; causes apnea and hypotension, so preoxygenate and titrate carefully.

Succinylcholine

Depolarizing neuromuscular blocker given at 1 to 1.5 mg/kg IV with rapid onset and short duration; contraindicated in hyperkalemia, major burns, and malignant hyperthermia susceptibility.

Pulse oximetry limitation

Estimates arterial oxygen saturation using light absorption; reads falsely high in carboxyhemoglobin and falsely low with poor perfusion or motion.

Minimum monitoring standards

Continuous pulse oximetry, capnography, electrocardiography, blood pressure, and inspired oxygen concentration throughout anesthesia, with documentation on the anesthesia record.

4-2-1 maintenance fluid rule

Hourly crystalloid maintenance equals 4 mL/kg for the first 10 kg, 2 mL/kg for the next 10 kg, and 1 mL/kg for each kilogram thereafter.

Transfusion reaction management

Stop the transfusion immediately, maintain airway and IV access, send the unit and samples to the blood bank, and report the event.

Malignant hyperthermia treatment

Stop triggering agents, hyperventilate with 100% oxygen, give dantrolene 2.5 mg/kg IV, and actively cool the patient while monitoring.

Anaphylaxis first-line drug

Epinephrine 0.5 mg intramuscularly (1:1000) in adults, along with stopping the trigger, oxygen, fluids, and airway support.

Aldrete score

Post-anesthesia recovery score assessing activity, respiration, circulation, consciousness, and oxygen saturation; a score of 9 to 10 commonly permits discharge.

Multimodal analgesia

Combining analgesics with different mechanisms, such as paracetamol, NSAIDs, opioids, and regional blocks, to improve pain control and reduce opioid requirements.

Hand hygiene

The single most effective measure to prevent healthcare-associated infection; performed at the WHO five moments of patient contact.

Surgical safety checklist

Structured verification of patient identity, procedure, site, allergies, and equipment before induction and before incision to reduce errors.

PDSA cycle

Plan-do-study-act cycle used in quality improvement to test a small change, measure the result, and refine before wider implementation.

Root cause analysis

Structured investigation of a serious incident that identifies system failures and contributing factors rather than blaming individual staff.

Mass casualty triage colors

Red for immediate, yellow for delayed, green for minor, and black for deceased or expectant; used to prioritize care when resources are limited.

Pediatric uncuffed tube size

Approximate internal diameter in millimeters equals age in years divided by 4 plus 4; confirm with a leak test and adjust as needed.

Post-dural puncture headache

Headache worse on standing after dural puncture; treated conservatively with fluids and caffeine, or with an epidural blood patch if persistent.

Local anesthetic systemic toxicity

Presents with tinnitus, perioral numbness, seizures, and cardiac arrest; stop injection, support the airway, and give 20% lipid emulsion.

Laparoscopy physiology

Insufflation raises intra-abdominal pressure, reduces venous return, and increases carbon dioxide absorption; monitor for vagal responses and hypercapnia.

Neostigmine reversal

Given at about 0.05 mg/kg IV to reverse nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockade; co-administer an antimuscarinic to prevent bradycardia.

Train-of-four ratio

Ratio of the fourth to the first evoked response; a value of at least 0.9 indicates adequate recovery from nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockade.

Lung-protective tidal volume

About 6 to 8 mL/kg of predicted body weight, often with PEEP, to reduce ventilator-induced lung injury.

Mean arterial pressure

Approximated as diastolic pressure plus one third of the pulse pressure; a target of at least 65 mmHg supports organ perfusion.

Hypothermia definition

Core temperature below 36 degrees Celsius; impairs coagulation and drug metabolism and increases surgical site infection risk.

Anesthesia record correction

Errors are corrected with a single line, initials, and date; erasure or correction fluid is never used because the record is a legal document.

Lithotomy position risk

Common peroneal nerve injury from compression at the fibular head and pressure injury to the calves; pad and support the legs carefully.

Venturi mask

Device delivering a precise, controlled inspired oxygen fraction, typically 24 to 60 percent, by entraining room air through a jet.

Respiratory acidosis

Arterial pH below 7.35 with PaCO2 above 45 mmHg; treated by improving alveolar ventilation.