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 17 / 20

Vascular Emergencies & Limb Preservation

Distinguish threatened perfusion from chronic symptoms and organise timely vascular assessment.

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. A cold painful leg develops new weakness. What is the priority? A. Routine outpatient exercise adviceB. Compression stockings without assessmentC. Review after a week of analgesiaD. Emergency vascular assessment

Question 02. Which pattern best fits intermittent claudication? A. Sudden cold paralysed footB. Reproducible exertional calf pain relieved by restC. Persistent abdominal pain with collapseD. Isolated itchy rash after a dressing

Question 03. Rest pain with a nonhealing toe ulcer should prompt what? A. Reassurance based on ulcer size aloneB. Massage without a vascular examinationC. Deferral until the ulcer becomes painfulD. Assessment for limb-threatening arterial disease

Question 04. Why can an ankle pressure index be falsely reassuring in diabetes? A. Diabetes always raises true tissue perfusionB. Neuropathy guarantees normal arteriesC. Ulcer infection makes the test diagnostic of venous diseaseD. Arterial calcification can reduce compressibility

Question 05. Back pain with collapse in an older adult should raise concern for what? A. Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysmB. Uncomplicated chronic claudication onlyC. Superficial thrombophlebitis onlyD. A benign muscular cause without reassessment

Question 06. Does absence of a palpable abdominal mass exclude aneurysm rupture? A. Yes, in every adultB. Yes, if pain is mainly in the backC. Yes, if one blood pressure improvesD. No, the classic findings may be incomplete

Question 07. A diabetic foot ulcer causes little pain despite deep tissue injury. Why? A. Lack of pain proves absence of infectionB. All painless ulcers are venousC. Peripheral neuropathy may blunt painD. Deep injury always preserves sensation

Question 08. An infected ischaemic foot may need which combined approach? A. Antibiotics alone regardless of perfusionB. Offloading alone despite sepsisC. Cosmetic dressing changes without reviewD. Infection treatment, perfusion assessment and wound care

Question 09. A tense painful limb after revascularisation needs urgent evaluation for what? A. Normal recovery established by a pulseB. Simple bruising requiring no reviewC. Compartment syndromeD. Chronic venous pigmentation only

Question 10. Which discharge plan best supports limb preservation? A. Stop wound review once pain fallsB. Foot protection, risk reduction and explicit review arrangementsC. Resume smoking when the ulcer healsD. Ignore new colour change unless fever develops

0 / 10 answeredReady for assessment →

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.