surgery

A 64-year-old woman presents for an elective abdominal ultrasound. Several months ago, she experienced a few episodes of intermittent, moderate-to-severe right upper quadrant pain that resolved spontaneously within a few hours each time. She denies any associated fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or jaundice during those episodes or currently. She has no significant past medical history other than well-controlled hypertension. On examination today, she is afebrile, her vital signs are stable, and her abdomen is soft and non-tender. Routine blood tests performed prior to the ultrasound, including full blood count, liver function tests (bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, GGT), amylase, and lipase, are all within their respective normal reference ranges. The provided image is a representative view obtained during her ultrasound examination. Considering the patient's history, current clinical status, and the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?

A 72-year-old man presents to the emergency department with a 6-hour history of worsening pain in his right groin. He has a known right inguinal hernia that has been present for several years and was previously reducible, but he has been unable to push it back in today. The pain is now constant and severe, rated 8/10. He denies fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting. His vital signs are: temperature 37.2°C, heart rate 96 bpm, blood pressure 140/90 mmHg, respiratory rate 18 breaths/min, oxygen saturation 97% on room air. On examination, there is a firm, exquisitely tender, non-reducible mass in the right inguinal region. The overlying skin appears slightly erythematous. Bowel sounds are present and normal. An urgent CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, and a representative axial image is shown. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the MOST appropriate immediate next step in management?

A 55-year-old female presents to the emergency department with a 24-hour history of severe right upper quadrant pain radiating to her back, associated with nausea, vomiting, and subjective fever. On examination, she is febrile (38.5°C) and has marked tenderness and guarding in the right upper quadrant. Her vital signs are otherwise stable. Blood tests reveal a white cell count of 15 x 10^9/L and C-reactive protein of 120 mg/L. Liver function tests, including bilirubin, are within normal limits. She is initiated on intravenous fluids and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Imaging is subsequently performed. Considering the patient's clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the provided imaging, what is the most appropriate definitive management strategy?

A 55-year-old male presents to his GP complaining of a swelling in his right groin that has been present for several months. He states it is more noticeable when he is standing or coughing and sometimes causes a dull ache, but it is easily pushed back in when he lies down. He denies any fever, nausea, or acute pain. His vital signs are stable. Physical examination reveals the finding shown in the image. Considering the patient's history and the physical examination finding depicted, what is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 55-year-old woman presents with 2 days of worsening right upper quadrant pain radiating to her back, nausea, and subjective fever. On examination, she is tender in the RUQ. Vitals are stable. Labs show WCC 15.0, CRP 120. This image is obtained. Considering the clinical presentation and imaging findings, what is the recommended timing for definitive surgical management?

A 64-year-old woman with a history of intermittent, self-resolving right upper quadrant pain presents for evaluation. She denies fever, chills, or jaundice, and her physical examination is unremarkable. Routine blood tests, including liver function tests and amylase, are within normal limits. An abdominal ultrasound was performed, and a representative image is shown. Based on the findings in this image and her clinical presentation, what is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 68-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a 12-hour history of severe, constant left groin pain. He reports a bulge in his groin that has been present for several years, which he can usually reduce himself. However, today he has been unable to push it back in, and the pain has become excruciating. He denies any fever, nausea, or vomiting. On examination, his vital signs are stable: temperature 37.0°C, heart rate 88 bpm, blood pressure 130/80 mmHg, respiratory rate 16 breaths/min, and oxygen saturation 98% on room air. Abdominal examination is unremarkable. Palpation of the left groin reveals a firm, tender mass that is non-reducible. The overlying skin is erythematous, but there is no crepitus. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, and an axial slice is shown. Given the clinical scenario and the imaging findings, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 48-year-old man presents to his GP reporting an intermittent swelling in his right groin over the past six months. He notes it is more prominent when he is upright or coughing and disappears when he lies down. He experiences occasional mild discomfort but denies any acute pain, nausea, or vomiting. His past medical history is unremarkable, and vital signs are stable. Physical examination reveals the finding shown in the image. Considering the patient's history and the physical examination finding depicted, what is the most appropriate recommendation regarding definitive management for this patient?

A 68-year-old woman presents with a persistent rash on her chest wall at the site of a previous mastectomy performed 8 years ago. She denies pain or itching. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 55-year-old woman presents with 2 days of worsening right upper quadrant pain radiating to her back, nausea, and subjective fever. On examination, she is tender in the RUQ. Vitals are stable. Labs show WCC 15.0, CRP 120. This image is obtained. Given the clinical context and imaging findings, what is the most appropriate definitive management strategy?

A 68-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of worsening right upper quadrant abdominal pain radiating to her back, associated with fever, chills, and yellowing of her eyes. She denies prior similar episodes but reports occasional post-prandial discomfort. On examination, she is jaundiced and tender in the right upper quadrant. Vital signs are: temperature 38.5°C, heart rate 110 bpm, blood pressure 110/70 mmHg, respiratory rate 20 breaths per minute, and oxygen saturation 97% on room air. Initial laboratory investigations reveal: white blood cell count 14,000/µL, total bilirubin 6.0 mg/dL, alkaline phosphatase 450 U/L, ALT 300 U/L, and AST 250 U/L. An ERCP is performed, and the image is obtained. Following successful intervention to relieve the obstruction, the patient's symptoms begin to improve. Considering the likely underlying cause of this presentation and the findings during the procedure, what is the MOST appropriate next step in managing this patient's condition?

A 65-year-old woman presents with a chronic, non-healing lesion at the site of her mastectomy scar, performed 7 years ago. She denies pain but reports occasional itching. What is the MOST appropriate next investigation?

A 55-year-old woman presents with 2 days of worsening right upper quadrant pain radiating to her back, nausea, and subjective fever. On examination, she is tender in the RUQ. Vitals are stable. Labs show WCC 15.0, CRP 120. This image is obtained. Based on the clinical presentation and imaging findings, what is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 62-year-old man presents to his GP reporting a swelling in his right groin that has been present for approximately 18 months. He describes it as intermittent, appearing when he stands or strains, and disappearing when he lies down. He occasionally experiences a mild, dull ache in the area, but denies any severe pain, nausea, vomiting, or change in bowel habits. His past medical history includes hypertension controlled with medication. On examination, vital signs are stable, and the finding shown in the image is noted. It is easily reducible. Considering the patient's history, the absence of acute symptoms, and the physical examination finding depicted, what is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?

A 68-year-old male presents to the ED with severe groin pain and a palpable mass. He reports constipation and inability to pass flatus for 24 hours. Examination reveals tenderness and erythema. A CT scan is performed. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 65-year-old male presents with a 3-month history of unintentional weight loss and early satiety. Gastroscopy and biopsy confirmed a gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma. Staging CT imaging is shown. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings on the provided imaging, what is the most appropriate initial management strategy?

A 45-year-old male with a known history of Blue Rubber Bleb Naevus Syndrome, characterised by recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and multiple cutaneous vascular lesions, presents to the emergency department with acute onset severe, colicky abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. On examination, his abdomen is distended and diffusely tender with reduced bowel sounds. Vital signs are within normal limits. An urgent abdominal CT scan is performed. Considering the patient's history, acute presentation, and the findings on the abdominal CT scan, what is the most appropriate immediate management strategy?

A 35-year-old lady who underwent laparoscopic appendicectomy presents 3 days later with diarrhea, fever (39.5°C), and erythematous port sites. She had a 5-day course of cefotaxime. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 6-week-old male infant presents with increasing frequency of non-bilious vomiting after feeds for the past week. He is otherwise well, afebrile, and has wet nappies. On examination, he is alert and interactive. Abdominal examination is unremarkable. Vitals are stable. You order an ultrasound, which is shown. Based on the clinical presentation and the provided image, what is the most appropriate immediate next step in management?

A 68-year-old male presents with constant RUQ pain for 3 days. The image was obtained. What is the MOST likely complication if definitive management is delayed?

A 63-year-old woman with a 20-year history of Crohn's disease presents with a one-month history of worsening colicky abdominal pain, bloating, and occasional non-bilious vomiting, associated with a 3kg weight loss. She reports reduced stool frequency. She is currently managed with mesalazine and azathioprine. Her vital signs are stable (BP 120/75, HR 82, Temp 36.8), and physical examination reveals mild right lower quadrant tenderness without guarding or rebound. Bowel sounds are hyperactive. Imaging is performed. Considering the clinical presentation, her current therapy, and the findings suggested by the provided images, which of the following represents the most appropriate next step in this patient's management?

A 72-year-old male presents to the clinic complaining of a painless swelling in his right groin that has been present for several years. He reports that the swelling occasionally increases in size with prolonged standing or heavy lifting, but it usually reduces when he lies down. He denies any acute pain, nausea, vomiting, or changes in bowel habits. His past medical history includes well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus and a remote appendectomy. On physical examination, his vital signs are within normal limits. Abdominal examination is unremarkable. Examination of the groin reveals the finding shown in the image. The swelling is easily reducible when the patient is supine. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate initial management strategy for this patient?

A 68-year-old male presents to the ED with abdominal distension, obstipation, and vomiting. He reports a history of multiple abdominal surgeries. An upright abdominal X-ray is performed. Based on the image, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 59-year-old male presents with a painful right groin bulge that has progressively worsened over the past week. He denies fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting. Vitals are stable. The provided image was obtained. What is the MOST appropriate next step?

A 55-year-old woman presents with 24 hours of severe right upper quadrant pain, fever, and nausea. Examination reveals RUQ tenderness and a positive Murphy's sign. Vitals: T 38.5°C, HR 105, BP 130/80, RR 18, SpO2 98% RA. Labs: WCC 16, CRP 120, LFTs normal. An urgent abdominal CT is performed. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings on the provided imaging, what is the most appropriate definitive management strategy for this patient?

A 62-year-old man presents to his GP with a history of a bulge in his right groin that has been present for approximately 18 months. He reports it is more prominent with straining or standing and disappears completely when he lies down. He denies any associated pain, nausea, vomiting, or change in bowel habits. He has no significant past medical history. His physical examination reveals the finding depicted in the image. Vital signs are within normal limits. Based on this clinical picture, which of the following represents the most appropriate definitive management strategy for this patient?

A 68-year-old male presents to the ED with severe groin pain and a palpable mass. He reports a history of a reducible bulge in the same area, but today it is firm and tender. He denies fever, nausea, or vomiting. Examination reveals stable vital signs. Review the provided image. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 58-year-old woman presents with persistent fatigue, muscle weakness, and vague abdominal pain. Her serum calcium is 3.2 mmol/L (2.1-2.6 mmol/L), and PTH is 190 pg/mL (10-65 pg/mL). Renal function is normal. She denies any family history of endocrine disorders. Imaging studies are performed, as shown. Based on the clinical context and the imaging findings presented, which of the following represents the definitive management strategy for this patient?

A 62-year-old male with a history of chronic hepatitis C presents with right upper quadrant pain, weight loss, and jaundice. Physical examination reveals hepatomegaly and mild ascites. Laboratory investigations include elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. Imaging is performed as shown. Considering the clinical context and the findings demonstrated in the imaging, which of the following factors is MOST critical in determining this patient's eligibility for potentially curative surgical resection?

A 64-year-old woman presents for an elective abdominal ultrasound. Several months ago, she experienced a few episodes of intermittent, moderate-to-severe right upper quadrant pain that resolved spontaneously within a few hours each time. She denies any associated fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or jaundice during those episodes or currently. She has no significant past medical history other than well-controlled hypertension. On examination today, she is afebrile, her vital signs are stable, and her abdomen is soft and non-tender. Routine blood tests performed prior to the ultrasound, including full blood count, liver function tests (bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, GGT), amylase, and lipase, are all within their respective normal reference ranges. The provided image is a representative view obtained during her ultrasound examination. Considering the patient's history, current clinical status, and the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?

A 68-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with right upper quadrant abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice. Initial investigations showed a WCC of 14,000, total bilirubin 6.0, ALP 450, ALT 300. She was diagnosed with acute cholangitis and underwent urgent ERCP, during which the image was obtained. Following successful endoscopic stone extraction and significant clinical improvement with normalising inflammatory markers and liver function tests, what is the MOST appropriate next step in the long-term management of this patient's condition?

A 68-year-old male presents with abdominal pain, distension, and obstipation for 3 days, with a history of multiple abdominal surgeries. Vitals are HR 110, BP 110/70, T 37.8. Exam shows a distended abdomen with high-pitched bowel sounds. An upright abdominal X-ray is shown. Considering the clinical context and the imaging findings, which of the following is the MOST likely expected outcome with initial non-operative management?

A 55-year-old man presents to his GP complaining of a long-standing, intermittent swelling in his right groin that becomes more noticeable when he coughs or lifts heavy objects. It is usually painless and he can push it back in. His vital signs are normal. Considering the clinical presentation and the appearance shown, what is the most appropriate initial management?

A 9-month-old presents with a noticeable abdominal protrusion, more prominent when crying. The child is feeding well and has regular bowel movements. Examination reveals a soft, easily reducible bulge at the umbilicus, as shown. Parents are concerned about potential complications. What is the MOST appropriate parental advice?

A 65-year-old male with recently diagnosed gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma presents with unintentional weight loss. Endoscopy confirmed the diagnosis. Staging imaging is provided. His ECOG performance status is 1. Considering the extent of disease demonstrated, which of the following represents the most appropriate initial therapeutic approach?

A 6-month-old infant presents for a routine check-up. The mother reports the infant is feeding well and has normal bowel movements. On examination, you observe the finding in the image. The mass is soft and easily reducible. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 68-year-old male presents to the ED with left lower quadrant abdominal pain, fever, and leukocytosis. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed. Based on the image, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 6-week-old infant presents with a 1-week history of increasing non-bilious projectile vomiting after feeds. He is otherwise well, afebrile, and has wet nappies. Examination is unremarkable. An ultrasound is performed, shown in the image. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings in the provided image, what is the most appropriate definitive surgical intervention for this condition?

A 68-year-old male with a history of multiple abdominal surgeries presents to the emergency department complaining of abdominal pain, distension, and obstipation for the past 3 days. His vital signs are: HR 110 bpm, BP 110/70 mmHg, RR 22 breaths/min, SpO2 97% on room air, and temperature 37.8°C. Physical examination reveals a distended abdomen with high-pitched bowel sounds. An upright abdominal X-ray is performed, as shown. Given the clinical context and the radiographic findings, which demonstrate significant intraluminal gas accumulation proximal to the likely site of obstruction, what is the predominant source of this gas?

A 75-year-old female presents to the emergency department with a 24-hour history of worsening colicky abdominal pain, nausea, and multiple episodes of bilious vomiting. She reports no passage of flatus or stool for the past 18 hours. Her past medical history includes an open appendectomy 30 years ago and a hysterectomy 10 years ago. On examination, she is afebrile, heart rate 92 bpm, blood pressure 130/80 mmHg, respiratory rate 18/min, oxygen saturation 98% on room air. Her abdomen is distended and diffusely tender to palpation, with high-pitched tinkling bowel sounds on auscultation. A plain abdominal X-ray series, including the image provided, was obtained. Given the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the provided image, which of the following is the most appropriate *next* investigation to guide definitive management?

A 6-week-old male infant presents with a 1-week history of progressively worsening non-bilious vomiting, often projectile, occurring shortly after feeds. His parents report he is constantly hungry and irritable but has had poor weight gain. On examination, he is alert but appears thin. Vital signs are stable. Abdominal examination is soft, non-tender, with no palpable mass. An abdominal ultrasound is performed, the image of which is shown. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings depicted, what is the most appropriate definitive management strategy after initial fluid and electrolyte correction?

A 64-year-old woman reports intermittent RUQ pain. She denies jaundice or fever. An abdominal ultrasound was performed, image shown. Besides referral for surgery, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 4-week-old male presents with projectile vomiting after feeding. He is irritable and appears dehydrated. An upper GI series is performed, as shown. After addressing immediate concerns, what is the MOST appropriate next step?

A 65-year-old male presents with 2 days of constant right upper quadrant pain radiating to the back, associated with nausea and subjective fever. On examination, he is febrile (38.5°C) with significant tenderness and a positive Murphy's sign in the right upper quadrant. His white cell count is elevated at 15 x 10^9/L, and CRP is 120 mg/L. Liver function tests are within normal limits. Considering the clinical presentation and the provided imaging, what is the most appropriate timing for definitive surgical management?

A 68-year-old male presents to the ED with a painful lump in his groin that has been present for 3 days. He reports nausea but denies vomiting. His vital signs are stable. An abdominal CT is performed, and a slice is shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?

A 68-year-old man with a history of diverticulosis presents with recurrent, large volume rectal bleeding. Initial colonoscopy failed to identify or control the source. He remains haemodynamically stable after resuscitation. What is the most appropriate next step in management?

A 35-year-old woman who recently underwent laparoscopic appendicectomy and completed a 5-day course of cefotaxime presents with a 3-day history of diarrhea and a temperature of 39.5°C. Her vital signs are otherwise normal, and a digital rectal exam is normal. Examination reveals erythematous port sites. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 45-year-old woman presents to her GP with recurrent episodes of biliary colic. An ultrasound confirms the presence of multiple gallstones. She is otherwise healthy with no significant past medical history. After discussing management options, she opts for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in her preoperative assessment, according to Australian guidelines?

A 72-year-old male presents with abdominal distension, vomiting, and inability to pass flatus for 48 hours. He has a history of prior bowel resection. Examination reveals a tympanitic abdomen and tenderness to palpation. His vitals are stable. An abdominal X-ray is performed, as shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in the management of this patient?

A 62-year-old woman presents to her general practitioner complaining of fatigue, bone pain, and constipation for the past several months. She denies any significant past medical history and is on no regular medications. Physical examination is unremarkable, and vital signs are within normal limits. Initial laboratory investigations reveal an elevated serum calcium level of 3.1 mmol/L (reference range: 2.1-2.6 mmol/L) and an elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) level of 180 pg/mL (reference range: 10-65 pg/mL). A 24-hour urine calcium excretion is also elevated. The patient is referred for further imaging, the results of which are shown. Based on the available information, what is the MOST appropriate next step in the definitive management of this patient?