CLINICAL QUESTIONS

Rapid, high-yield Q→A for rounds, the OR, and specialty clinics.

  • Cystic Duct, Common Hepatic Duct, Inferior edge of the Liver.

  • Cystic artery is often mistaken for the common hepatic duct, always achieve the critical view of safety before clipping.

  • Visualising the cystic artery and cystic duct entering the gallbladder prior to clipping.

  • Most important step to prevent bile duct injury.

  • Cystic artery – a branch of the hepatic artery.

  • Can have double cystic arteries, often runs behind cystic duct.

  • Symptomatic cholelithiasis, Acute cholecystitis, Choledocholithiasis, Gallstone pancreatitis, Porcelain gallbladder.

  • Asymptomatic stones → no surgery, Early cholecystectomy (<72 hours) reduces complications.

  • Grade 1: Bleed only, Grade 2: Prolapsed but can be reduced spontaneously, Grade 3: Prolapse requiring manual reduction, Grade 4: Irreducible.

  • Grade 2  office procedures like banding; Grade 3-4 often need surgery.

  • Inferior rectal branch of the pudendal nerve  somatic nerve below dentate line.

  • Internal hemorrhoid treatment is less painful due to visceral innervation above the dentate line.

  • Fiber + stool softeners, sitz bath, topical nitro-glycerine, topical calcium channel blockers (diltiazem, nifedipine).

  • If refractory  lateral internal sphincterotomy is done.

  • Incision and Drainage; antibiotics added only if systemic signs of infection.

  • Antibiotics alone are never enough; about 30-40% develop a fistula afterward.

  • Medial: Rectus Abdominis, Lateral: Inferior Epigastric Vessels, Inferior: Inguinal Ligament.

  • Direct hernias protrude through this triangle.

  • Ilioinguinal nerve runs on top of the spermatic cord and crosses the medial aspect of the inguinal canal.

  • Injury can cause chronic groin pain.

  • An anatomic danger zone in laparoscopic hernia repair and contains the external iliac artery, external iliac vein and genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve.

  • Injury here can cause catastrophic bleeding. Mesh is laid over it but never stapled.

  • Anatomic region which contains: Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, Femoral branch of Genitofemoral nerve and Femoral nerve.

  • Injury to these vessels can cause chronic neuropathic pain (inguinodynia).

  • Sleeve gastrectomy can worsen or newly cause GERD due to reduced gastric compliance + increase intragastric pressures + loss of gastric fundus.

  • If patient has pre-existing GERD or Barrett’s, then RYGB is preferred. Post sleeve GERD with persistent symptoms usually EGD + possible conversion is done.

  • An internal hernia that occurs post RYGB: through the space behind the Roux limb and the transverse mesocolon.

  • Most common LATE cause of abdominal pain post RYGB. Can cause a closed loop obstruction surgical emergency.

  • Rapid gastric emptying into the small bowel post RYGB can cause cramping or diarrhea within 10-30 minutes OR hypoglycaemia from insulin surge within 1-3 hours.

  • Treatment is small and frequent meals and avoiding simple carbs.

  • Peptic ulcer that forms at the gastrojejunal anastomosis after RYGB; develops where acidic gastric pouch contents contact the unprotected jejunal mucosa.

  • Epigastric pain, nausea vomiting post RYGB. Treat with PPI + sucralfate.

  • 1 month CTA, 6 month CTA, 12 month CTA, and then yearly.

  • Sac growth > 5mm  investigate for an endoleak.

  • Men 5.5cm+, Women 5cm+, Symptomatic or Rapidly expanding (>0.5cm in 6 months).

  • Symptomatic aneurysm  emergent repair, regardless of size.

  • Rest pain, non-healing ulcers, or gangrene caused by PAD. ABI is usually < 0.4.

  • Most common cause is multilevel atherosclerotic disease (inflow + outflow).

  • SCI can be caused due to interruption of spinal cord blow flow from: segmental arteries, Artery of adamkiewicz, or hypogastric circulation. Risk increases when long segments of the thoracic or abdominal aorta are covered, especially T8-L2 region. 

  • Maintain intraoperative MAP > 80-90 mmHg. Can present with anterior cord syndrome.

  • Prior radiation to chest region, diffuse disease, persistent positive margins after attempts, pregnancy requiring immediate radiation.

  • BRCA mutation is NOT a contraindication.

  • Express estrogen or progesterone receptors: treat with tamoxifen in premenopausal women or aromatase inhibitors in postmenopausal women.

  • These tumours have the best prognosis. ER+ and PR- suggests an aggressive phenotype. Endocrine therapy is continued for 5-10 years.

  • HER2 is a growth factor receptor that drives aggressive tumour proliferation.

  • Respond well to Trastuzumab and if treated, outcomes are excellent.

  • Defined by pectoralis minor: Level 1 is lateral to pec minor; Level 2 is deep/posterior to pec minor and Level 3 is medial to pec minor.

  • Sentinel nodes are usually level 1-2. Level 3 dissection carries the highest risk for lymphedema.