One week after sustaining third-degree burns over 40% of his body surface area, a patient requires general anesthesia for debridement and skin grafting. Which of the following responses to neuromuscular blockers is most likely?
(A) Clinically insignificant increases in serum potassium concentration after administration of succinylcholine 1 mg/kg
(B) Increased risk of hyperkalemia after administration of succinylcholine 1 mg/kg
(C) Increased sensitivity to vecuronium
(D) Laudanosine toxicity after administration of atracurium 0.4 mg/kg
(E) Normal serum potassium concentration if administration of succinylcholine is preceded by d-tubocurarine 3 mg
An elderly man has an acute dissection of the descending thoracic aorta. Which of the following antihypertensive therapies is most likely to extend the dissection?
(A) Esmolol infusion
(B) Nitroglycerin infusion
(C) Nitroprusside infusion
(D) Nitroprusside infusion combined with a beta-adrenergic blocker
A 62-year-old patient who is undergoing femoral-popliteal arterial bypass grafting during general anesthesia develops supraventricular tachycardia. Heart rate is 165 bpm and blood pressure is 90/50 mmHg. Which of the following is the LEAST appropriate treatment of the tachycardia?
(A) Adenosine
(B) Esmolol
(C) Phenylephrine
(D) Procainamide
(E) Verapamil
D
Positive end-expiratory pressure is effective for treatment of hypoxia resulting from each of the following EXCEPT
A patient whose trachea is intubated develops partial airway obstruction two hours after induction of fentanyl, nitrous oxide, oxygen anesthesia. The anesthesiologist discontinues the nitrous oxide and controls ventilation, and there is gradual improvement during the next hour. No evidence of a respiratory disorder is found at the conclusion of the anesthetic. Which of the following is most likely?
(A) The endotracheal tube was in the right mainstem bronchus
(B) The patient had an unrecognized air embolism
(C) The patient had a nitrous oxide pneumothorax
(D) The endotracheal tube cuff narrowed the airway
A 50-year-old man is scheduled to undergo emergency craniotomy for evacuation of an epidural hematoma. His Glasgow Coma Scale score is 6; heart rate is 54 bpm, and blood pressure is 190/110 mmHg. The most appropriate initial management is administration of which of the following agents?