GENERAL SURGERY MNEMONICS

Carpal tunnel syndrome: Causes

MEDIAN TRAP:

• Myxoedema
• Edema premenstrually
• Diabetes
• Idiopathic
• Agromegaly
• Neoplasm
• Trauma
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Amyloidosis
• Pregnancy

  *Mnemonic fits nicely since median nerve is trapped.

Disease description: Organization Of Answer

"In A Surgeon's Gown, Physicians May Make Some Clinical Progress":

• Incidence
• Age
• Sex
• Geography
• Predisposing factors
• Macroscopic appearance
• Microscopic appearance
• Spread
• Clinical features
• Prognosis

Fistulas: Conditions Preventing Closure

FRIEND:

• Foreign body
• Radiation
• Infection/ Inflammation (Crohn)
• Epithelialization
• Neoplasia
• Distal obstruction 

Oedema causes: Localised

ALIVE:

• Allergic (angio-oedema)
• Lymphatic (elephantiasis)
• Inflammatory (infection, injury)
• VEnous (DVT, chronic venous insufficiency)

Oedema causes: Generalised

"HILARI IS SAVE" (Hilary):

• Heart failure
• Iatrogenic
• Liver causes
• Aldosterone increased/ ADH increased
• Renal cause
• Inadequate protein in blood (hypoalbuminaemia)

 *Causes for the inadequate protein in blood are:

• Intake Inadequate (Kwashiorkor)
• Secretion from pancreas decreased (pancreatitis)
• Synthesis decreased (liver failure)
• Absorption decreased (Crohn's disease)
• Vomit (pyloric stenosis)
• Excretion increased (nephrotic)

Post-operative: Complications (immediate)

"Post-op PROBS":

• Pain
• Primary haemorrhage
• Reactionary haemorrhage
• Oliguria
• Basal atelectasis
• Shock/ Sepsis

Post-operative fever: Causes

Six W's:

• Wind: pulmonary system is primary source of fever first 48 hours, may have pneumonia
• Wound: infection at surgical site
• Water: check IV for phlebitis
• Walk: deep venous thrombosis, due to pelvic pooling or restricted mobility related to pain and fatigue
• Whiz: urinary tract infection if urinary catheterization
• Wonder drugs: drug-induced fever

Shock: General Features

CHORD ITEM:

• Cold, clammy skin
• Hypotension
• Oliguria
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Drowsiness, confusion
• Irritability
• Tachycardia
• Elevated or reduced central venous pressure
• Multi-organ damage

Shock: Signs And Symptoms

TV SPARC CUBE:

• Thirst
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• Pulse weak
• Anxious
• Respirations shallow/rapid
• Cool
• Cyanotic
• Unconscious
• BP low
• Eyes blank

Swollen leg: Unilateral Swelling Causes

TV BAIL:

• Trauma
• Venous (varicose veins, DVT, venous insufficiency)
• Baker’s cyst
• Allergy
• Inflammation (cellulitis)
• Lymphoedema

Ulcers Edge: Types

 PURE F:

• Punched-out (eg trophic, arterial)
• Undetermined (eg pressure, TB)
• Rolled (eg BCC)
• Everted (eg SCC)
• Flat (eg venous)

Wound healing: Factors Delaying

DID NOT HEAL:

• Drugs
• Infection/ Icterus/ Ischemia
• Diabetes
• Nutrition
• Oxygen (hypoxia)
• Toxins
• Hypothermia/ Hyperthermia
• EtOH
• Acidosis
• Local anesthetics