Preoperative assessment: blood request for low-risk surgery: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anaesthesia · Preoperative assessment: blood request for low-risk surgery

Sample item

A 30-year-old woman with a normal haemoglobin is listed for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a procedure with a low probability of transfusion. Which blood bank request is appropriate?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Group and antibody screen, with crossmatch only if bleeding occurs

A maximum surgical blood order schedule matches the blood request to the usual transfusion needs of the operation. For low-risk procedures a group and screen allows rapid crossmatch if needed, and avoids tying up units.

Option by option

  • A. Two units fully crossmatched and reserved

    Routine crossmatching of units wastes blood for an operation that rarely needs transfusion.

  • B. No sample at all, since transfusion is not expected

    Without a sample, blood cannot be issued quickly if unexpected bleeding occurs.

  • C. Four units of whole blood and fresh frozen plasma on standby

    Blood and plasma on standby is excessive for this operation.

  • D. Group and antibody screen, with crossmatch only if bleeding occurs (correct)

    Correct. A group and screen is sufficient for a low-risk procedure.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is D, Group and antibody screen, with crossmatch only if bleeding occurs. A maximum surgical blood order schedule matches the blood request to the usual transfusion needs of the operation.

Why is "Two units fully crossmatched and reserved" not the answer?

Routine crossmatching of units wastes blood for an operation that rarely needs transfusion.

Why is "No sample at all, since transfusion is not expected" not the answer?

Without a sample, blood cannot be issued quickly if unexpected bleeding occurs.

Why is "Four units of whole blood and fresh frozen plasma on standby" not the answer?

Blood and plasma on standby is excessive for this operation.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Preoperative assessment: blood request for low-risk surgery in Anaesthesia. For low-risk procedures a group and screen allows rapid crossmatch if needed, and avoids tying up units.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Preoperative assessment: blood request for low-risk surgery?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.