Complications and emergencies: follow-up after perioperative anaphylaxis: 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 · Complications and emergencies: follow-up after perioperative anaphylaxis

Sample item

A patient recovers from a suspected anaphylactic reaction at induction of anaesthesia. What follow-up is advised before any further anaesthetic?

ATest doses of each drug in theatre, with adrenaline readyBSerum IgG levels measured against every drug usedCAllergy clinic skin testing at about 4 to 6 weeksDLifelong avoidance of every general anaesthetic agent

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Allergy clinic skin testing at about 4 to 6 weeks

After anaphylaxis, the trigger should be identified so that safe agents can be chosen in future. Patients are referred to an allergy clinic for skin prick and intradermal testing, usually four to six weeks after the event, once mast cells have recovered. Serum tryptase taken in the first hours supports the diagnosis.

Option by option

A. Test doses of each drug in theatre, with adrenaline ready
Deliberate re-exposure in theatre risks another life-threatening reaction and is not a diagnostic test.
B. Serum IgG levels measured against every drug used
IgG levels do not reflect the IgE-mediated or direct mast cell mechanisms of anaphylaxis.
C. Allergy clinic skin testing at about 4 to 6 weeks (correct)
Correct. Specialist allergy testing after a delay of several weeks identifies the culprit and allows safe future anaesthesia.
D. Lifelong avoidance of every general anaesthetic agent
Blanket avoidance is unnecessary; most agents are safe once the cause is identified.

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.

Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is C, Allergy clinic skin testing at about 4 to 6 weeks. After anaphylaxis, the trigger should be identified so that safe agents can be chosen in future.

Why is "Test doses of each drug in theatre, with adrenaline ready" not the answer?

Deliberate re-exposure in theatre risks another life-threatening reaction and is not a diagnostic test.

Why is "Serum IgG levels measured against every drug used" not the answer?

IgG levels do not reflect the IgE-mediated or direct mast cell mechanisms of anaphylaxis.

Why is "Lifelong avoidance of every general anaesthetic agent" not the answer?

Blanket avoidance is unnecessary; most agents are safe once the cause is identified.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Complications and emergencies: follow-up after perioperative anaphylaxis in Anaesthesia. Patients are referred to an allergy clinic for skin prick and intradermal testing, usually four to six weeks after the event, once mast cells have recovered. Serum tryptase taken in the first hours supports the diagnosis.

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 Complications and emergencies: follow-up after perioperative anaphylaxis?

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.