AOBA Anesthesiology case studies
AOBA Anesthesiology · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology (AOBA) certification examination is the credentialing pathway for osteopathic anesthesiologists who have completed accredited residency training and wish to demonstrate competence to a board of their peers. It is intended for physicians at the transition from training into independent practice, and for practicing anesthesiologists seeking to maintain board standing through the osteopathic pathway. The AOBA Anesthesiology case studies are 5 cases and about 2,759 words.
1Unexplained hypotension after spinal anesthesia in a patient on an SGLT2 inhibitor
A 68-year-old man (BMI 31, type 2 diabetes, eGFR 52) is scheduled for open inguinal hernia repair under spinal anesthesia. His medications include empagliflozin 10 mg daily, metformin, lisinopril 20 mg, and atorvastatin.
594 words, about 3 min2Difficult airway with a rapidly expanding neck hematoma after carotid endarterectomy
A 74-year-old woman undergoes carotid endarterectomy under general anesthesia with an endotracheal tube. In the PACU 90 minutes after extubation, she develops progressive neck swelling, stridor, and oxygen saturation of 88% on 6 L nasal cannula.
672 words, about 3 min3Neuraxial vs general anesthesia for a frail patient with severe aortic stenosis undergoing hip fracture repair
An 86-year-old woman (weight 52 kg, height 158 cm) falls at home and sustains a displaced femoral neck fracture. She has severe aortic stenosis (aortic valve area 0.7 cm², mean gradient 48 mmHg, LVEF 55%), COPD with baseline oxygen saturation 91% on room air, and mild cognitive impairment.
522 words, about 3 min4Opioid-tolerant patient with chronic pain requesting multimodal analgesia for major surgery
A 45-year-old woman with a history of chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia is scheduled for an open abdominal hysterectomy. She takes oxycodone 30 mg twice daily, gabapentin 600 mg three times daily, and duloxetine 60 mg daily.
487 words, about 2 min5Postoperative respiratory failure in a patient with obesity hypoventilation syndrome after ambulatory surgery
A 58-year-old man (BMI 42, OSA on CPAP, obesity hypoventilation syndrome with baseline PaCO2 48 mmHg) undergoes an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy at an ambulatory surgery center. He receives general anesthesia with propofol, fentanyl, and rocuronium, and is extubated at the end of the case.
484 words, about 2 min