Perioperative care: intraoperative hypothermia: practice question

A General Surgery 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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General Surgery · Perioperative care: intraoperative hypothermia

Sample item

During a long open abdominal operation a patient's core temperature falls to 34 degrees Celsius. Which complication is more likely?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Coagulopathy and wound infection

Hypothermia impairs platelet function and clotting enzymes, increases blood loss, causes vasoconstriction and reduced tissue oxygen, and raises the rate of wound infection. Active warming prevents it.

Option by option

  • A. Reduced drug metabolism with shortened recovery

    Drug metabolism is slowed and recovery is prolonged.

  • B. Hypertension with tachycardia as the only effect

    Cold causes arrhythmia risk and shivering, not simply hypertension.

  • C. Coagulopathy and wound infection (correct)

    Correct. Coagulopathy and infection are linked to hypothermia.

  • D. Improved wound healing

    Wound healing is impaired by vasoconstriction.

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 General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is C, Coagulopathy and wound infection. Hypothermia impairs platelet function and clotting enzymes, increases blood loss, causes vasoconstriction and reduced tissue oxygen, and raises the rate of wound infection.

Why is "Reduced drug metabolism with shortened recovery" not the answer?

Drug metabolism is slowed and recovery is prolonged.

Why is "Hypertension with tachycardia as the only effect" not the answer?

Cold causes arrhythmia risk and shivering, not simply hypertension.

Why is "Improved wound healing" not the answer?

Wound healing is impaired by vasoconstriction.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Perioperative care: intraoperative hypothermia in General Surgery. Active warming prevents it.

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 Perioperative care: intraoperative hypothermia?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery 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.