General Surgery

20 learning units • 100 chapter sections • 200 explained questions. Assess surgical disease, recognise complications and connect intervention with safe recovery and follow-up.

Original RAHBAR study material for the Year 4 learning pathway. Clinical cases support supervised undergraduate learning. Treatment choices, doses and procedures must follow current local protocols and the responsible clinical team. References & further reading ↓

MODULE 04 / 20

Surgical Fluids, Electrolytes & Nutrition

Separate resuscitation, maintenance and loss replacement while protecting nutrition and monitoring the effects of treatment.

Choose an answer and check it immediately. Change your choice to try again. This is a self-study exercise; results are not saved.

Question 01. Replacing nasogastric losses is which fluid task? A. Replacement of abnormal lossesB. Routine maintenance aloneC. Blood transfusion by definitionD. Nutritional rehabilitation alone

Question 02. Prolonged vomiting commonly causes which pattern? A. Isolated respiratory acidosis in every caseB. Universal hyperkalaemia without lossC. Guaranteed normal electrolytesD. Chloride depletion with metabolic alkalosis

Question 03. What should be checked before attributing low catheter output to renal failure? A. Catheter patency and clinical volume statusB. Only the colour of the drainage bagC. The bed numberD. The time of the next meal

Question 04. Which measure helps detect cumulative fluid retention? A. A single normal temperatureB. An unchanged scarC. One appetite question aloneD. Serial body weight

Question 05. New crepitations during fluid treatment should prompt what? A. Reassessment for overload and other causesB. Automatic doubling of fluid rateC. Ignoring respiratory observationsD. Stopping all monitoring

Question 06. When is enteral nutrition generally preferred? A. When the gut is functional and feeding is safeB. Only when all sounds are absentC. Never after any operationD. Whenever aspiration risk is uncontrolled

Question 07. Why is albumin not a standalone nutrition test? A. It measures calorie intake directlyB. It never changes during illnessC. Inflammation and fluid status affect itD. It replaces a weight-loss history

Question 08. Which electrolyte is especially important in refeeding syndrome? A. Chloride aloneB. Sodium only in every caseC. Calcium as the only concernD. Phosphate

Question 09. What is appropriate for a patient at high refeeding risk? A. Immediate unrestricted calories without monitoringB. Withholding all nutrition indefinitelyC. Monitoring only the first mealD. A graded monitored feeding plan with indicated vitamin support

Question 10. Why reassess a fluid prescription frequently? A. Every prescription remains correct for a weekB. The chart replaces examination permanentlyC. Losses, organ function and response change over timeD. Electrolytes cannot change after surgery

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References & Further Reading

Read the relevant guideline sections alongside these original clinical teaching cases. Local pathways, available services and individual patient factors determine care.

Reference review: 27 September 2026. Consult current local protocols for prescribing, procedures and escalation.