Complications, recovery, and safety culture: curriculum recognition: 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, recovery, and safety culture: curriculum recognition

Sample item

A woman recalls hearing the obstetrician's voice and feeling unable to move during a caesarean section under general anaesthesia, with no memory of pain. Which factor most likely explains this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Inadequate hypnotic depth while a muscle relaxant masked movement

Accidental awareness occurs when anaesthetic depth is too light while paralysis prevents movement from warning the anaesthetist. Risk is higher with obstetric, cardiac and trauma anaesthesia, where doses are kept low. Monitoring end-tidal agent concentration and using depth-of-anaesthesia monitors reduce the risk.

Option by option

  • A. Prolonged action of the muscle relaxant after surgery

    Prolonged relaxant effect would cause weakness after surgery and not recall of events during it.

  • B. Inadequate hypnotic depth while a muscle relaxant masked movement (correct)

    Correct. Light hypnosis hidden by paralysis is the usual mechanism of awareness.

  • C. Opioid-induced hyperalgesia

    Hyperalgesia is a rise in pain sensitivity after opioid exposure and does not cause awareness.

  • D. Excessive volatile agent concentration

    Excess agent deepens anaesthesia and would prevent recall.

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.

More Anaesthesia questions

Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is B, Inadequate hypnotic depth while a muscle relaxant masked movement. Accidental awareness occurs when anaesthetic depth is too light while paralysis prevents movement from warning the anaesthetist.

Why is "Prolonged action of the muscle relaxant after surgery" not the answer?

Prolonged relaxant effect would cause weakness after surgery and not recall of events during it.

Why is "Opioid-induced hyperalgesia" not the answer?

Hyperalgesia is a rise in pain sensitivity after opioid exposure and does not cause awareness.

Why is "Excessive volatile agent concentration" not the answer?

Excess agent deepens anaesthesia and would prevent recall.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Complications, recovery, and safety culture: curriculum recognition in Anaesthesia. Risk is higher with obstetric, cardiac and trauma anaesthesia, where doses are kept low. Monitoring end-tidal agent concentration and using depth-of-anaesthesia monitors reduce the risk.

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, recovery, and safety culture: curriculum recognition?

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.