Free Medical Study

SURGERY -Mnemonics

Anatomy
Abdominal wall muscles 
Mnemonic: TIRE 
T         Transversus abdominis 
I           Internal oblique 
R         Rectus abdominis 
E         External oblique 

Bowel components 
Mnemonic: Dr Jones Investigates Carefully And Cuts Randomly 
From proximal to distal: 
D         Duodenum 
J          Jejunum 
I           Ileum 
C         Caecum 
A         Appendix 
C         Colon 
R         Rectum 

Clinical conditions 
Initial management of all surgical emergencies 
Mnemonic: 4 Aʼs, 2 Cʼs, 2 Nʼs (could be remembered as a set of GCSE results!) 
A         ABC assessment 
A         Analgesia, eg morphine 
A         Anti-emetic 
A         Aggressive fluid resuscitation – IV fluids and electrolyte replacement 
C         Central venous pressure (CVP) line – may be needed 
C         Catheter (urinary) 
N         Nil by mouth (NBM) 
N         Nasogastric (NG) tube 

Post-operative complications 
General immediate 
Mnemonic: PROBS 
P         Primary haemorrhage/Pain 
R         Reactive haemorrhage
O         Oliguria – acute urinary retention 
B         Shock/Sepsis 

General early 
Mnemonic: ABCDE 
A         Analgesia- or Anaesthetic-related nausea + vomiting 
B         Breakdown of wound or anastomosis due to infection or haematoma –
dehiscence /  ↓ BP –  ↓ fluid input  →  hypovolaemia  →↓ BP 
C         Confusion – acute 
D         DVT leading possibly to PE 
E         Elevated temperature – pyrexia 

General late 
Mnemonic: RIB 
R         Recurrence of malignancy 
I           Incisional hernia 
B         Bowel obstruction
Lumps and bumps 
Examining 
Mnemonic: 3 Sʼs, 3 Cʼs, 3 Tʼs and the Fʼer 
3Ss     Site, Size, Shape 
3Cs     Colour, Consistency, Contour 
3Ts      Tenderness, Tethering, Transillumination 
Fʼer      Fluctuance 

Hernias 
Groin lump: differential diagnosis 
Mnemonic: Surgeons Like To Manage Various Hernias 
S         Spermatic cord (lipoma, hydrocoele)/Skin (sebaceous cyst) 
L          Lymph nodes 
T         Testicle (ectopic, undescended) 
M         Muscle (psoas abscess) 
V         Vascular (femoral artery aneurysm, saphena varyx) 
H         Hernias (inguinal, femoral)