Complications, recovery, and safety culture: curriculum recognition: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anaesthesia · Complications, recovery, and safety culture: curriculum recognition

Sample item

A 4-year-old wakes from sevoflurane anaesthesia for adenotonsillectomy within 15 minutes, thrashing, crying and failing to recognise his parents. Analgesia has been given, oxygenation and glucose are normal, and the agitation settles by itself in about 20 minutes. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Emergence delirium

Emergence delirium is a short-lived state of agitation and disorientation on waking, most common in preschool children after rapid-offset volatile agents and ENT surgery. It is self-limiting, and pain, hypoxia and hypoglycaemia must be excluded first. Calm reassurance, parental presence and small doses of propofol or dexmedetomidine may help.

Option by option

  • A. Emergence delirium (correct)

    Correct. Brief, self-resolving agitation in a young child after sevoflurane fits emergence delirium once other causes are excluded.

  • B. Inadequately treated pain

    Pain has been treated here, and pain-related agitation would persist until relieved.

  • C. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction

    Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a prolonged decline in memory and attention, mainly in older adults.

  • D. Hypoglycaemic neuroglycopenia

    Hypoglycaemia is excluded by the normal glucose result.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is A, Emergence delirium. Emergence delirium is a short-lived state of agitation and disorientation on waking, most common in preschool children after rapid-offset volatile agents and ENT surgery.

Why is "Inadequately treated pain" not the answer?

Pain has been treated here, and pain-related agitation would persist until relieved.

Why is "Postoperative cognitive dysfunction" not the answer?

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a prolonged decline in memory and attention, mainly in older adults.

Why is "Hypoglycaemic neuroglycopenia" not the answer?

Hypoglycaemia is excluded by the normal glucose result.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Complications, recovery, and safety culture: curriculum recognition in Anaesthesia. It is self-limiting, and pain, hypoxia and hypoglycaemia must be excluded first. Calm reassurance, parental presence and small doses of propofol or dexmedetomidine may help.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Complications, recovery, and safety culture: curriculum recognition?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.