A Selection of Clinical Scenarios

Abstract

This chapter contains several hypothetical clinical situations to tie together information from different chapters and to help with exam preparation. The scenarios begin with an infant needing anesthesia for laparotomy to treat intussusception and management of IV fluids before and after. The infant is anemic after surgery, and a decision about transfusion is needed. Next a young girl requires intubation for appendicectomy, but the endotracheal tube won’t initially pass beyond the vocal cords. Anesthesia eventually proceeds. Surgery is completed, then analgesia must be arranged. This is followed by a 12 year old who needs a diagnostic gastroscopy, but as you are about to commence anesthesia says she doesn’t want to have the procedure. This scenario is followed by one involving a 2 year old needing removal of an inhaled foreign removed. The last involves a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy needing emergency surgery.