be started on a perioperative β blocker to reduce the risk of perioperative myocardial ischemia.

be referred to cardiology consultation to determine if further testing is necessary.

undergo noninvasive cardiac stress testing.

undergo pulmonary function testing to determine the need for preoperative bronchodilators.

undergo routine preoperative testing with complete blood count, basic metabolic panel, electrocardiogram, and chest radiograph.

Although elderly patients have an increased perioperative risk, recent larger trials have not found age as an independent risk factor for perioperative morbidity and mortality.

In a pregnant patient presenting with urolithiasis, if possible, operative intervention should be delayed until the second trimester.

A patient who presents with a 30-pound weight loss over the previous 3 months should be started on parenteral feedings immediately postoperatively after elective surgery.

Morbidly obese patients should undergo open rather than laparoscopic surgery because of increased risk of pulmonary complications.

In patients with liver disease, the primary determinant of postoperative risk is degree of liver function enzyme abnormality.

administration of 2 g cefoxitin 1 hour before incision.

continuation of perioperative antibiotics for 48 hours following surgery.

preoperative hair removal with mechanical clippers and proper sterile preparation of the operative field.

preoperative bowel preparation with oral antibiotics (Nichols prep) and sodium phosphate solution (Fleet).

optimization of comorbid illness and nutritional status.

low-molecular-weight heparin and aspirin.

aspirin and early ambulation.

low-molecular-weight heparin.

unfractionated heparin and aspirin.

early ambulation.

inhaled sevoflurane.

inhaled halothane.

intravenous thiopental.

intravenous succinylcholine.

inhaled desflurane.

platelet transfusion for a 78-year-old male with chronic renal insufficiency who was scheduled to undergo partial nephrectomy and found to have a platelet count of 55,000 on preoperative testing.

fresh frozen plasma for a 69-year-old patient with an international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.6 scheduled to undergo laparotomy for a small bowel obstruction.

packed red blood cells for a healthy 22-year-old male with a stable large retroperitoneal hematoma after motor vehicle accident and hematocrit of 21%.

packed red blood cells for an 82-year-old male with coronary artery disease and hematocrit of 31%.

Fresh frozen plasma for a 64-year-old female during resection of a large renal mass with inferior vena cava thrombus who experiences significant blood loss requiring 8 units of packed red blood cell transfusion.

be positioned in the lithotomy position one leg at a time to ensure safe flexion of the hips.

be secured to the operating room table with fixed shoulder braces for procedures in steep Trendelenburg.

be positioned and draped by the operating room staff before arrival of the surgeon.

be maintained with core body temperature between 36° C and 38° C throughout the perioperative period.

be instructed to bathe with an antiseptic solution the night before surgery.

polyglycolic acid (Dexon) suture with continuous closure.

polypropylene (Prolene) suture with interrupted closure.

silk suture with continuous closure.

polyglactin (Vicryl) suture with interrupted closure.

polydioxanone suture (PDS) with continuous closure.