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Module 06 · Anaesthesia Blueprints

Monitoring: exam notes and MCQs

Prepare monitoring for postgraduate anaesthesia examinations with structured notes, exam-style questions and referenced explanations from standard textbooks and current guidelines.

Practise all 29 Monitoring questions free →

Exam notes in this module

Capnography and pulse oximetry
Principles, normal waveforms, abnormal patterns and pitfalls.
Perioperative ECG interpretation
A systematic approach, normal intervals, conduction blocks, ischaemia territories, electrolytes and devices.
Advanced haemodynamic monitoring and fluid responsiveness
Transducer physics, pressure vs flow, cardiac output monitors, dynamic indices, HPI and tissue oximetry.
Depth of anaesthesia, neuromuscular and temperature monitoring
Processed EEG (BIS), quantitative train-of-four, and core temperature — principles, targets and pitfalls.

Sample questions

Q1. The most reliable confirmation of tracheal intubation is:

  1. Misting in the tube
  2. Bilateral air entry
  3. Sustained capnography waveform
  4. Chest rise
Show answer

Answer C: Sustained capnography waveform

A persistent EtCO2 waveform over several breaths confirms tracheal placement; misting, auscultation and chest rise can all mislead. This holds even in cardiac arrest: effective CPR produces a trace, so a flat trace means the tube is in the oesophagus until proven otherwise (RCoA No Trace = Wrong Place).

Exam style: EDAIC

Q2. A conventional pulse oximeter uses light of wavelengths:

  1. 540 and 660 nm
  2. 660 and 940 nm
  3. 805 and 940 nm
  4. 420 and 660 nm
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Answer B: 660 and 940 nm

Red (660 nm) is absorbed more by deoxyhaemoglobin; infrared (940 nm) is absorbed more by oxyhaemoglobin. The ratio of pulsatile absorbances (R) is mapped to SpO₂ via an empirical calibration curve. 805 nm is the isosbestic point.

Exam style: AIIMS INI-SS

Q3. In the B-Aware trial, BIS-guided anaesthesia in high-risk patients aimed to maintain BIS between:

  1. 20–40
  2. 40–60
  3. 60–80
  4. 80–100
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Answer B: 40–60

BIS 40–60 is the commonly targeted range for general anaesthesia. In B-Aware (Myles 2004), titrating to BIS 40–60 in high-risk relaxant GA reduced definite awareness (2 vs 11 cases). Later trials (B-Unaware) found no difference compared with an end-tidal agent protocol.

Exam style: NEET-SS Anaesthesia

Study the whole module

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