Digestive system overview — MCQs

During a surgical procedure to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm, the surgeon must be careful to avoid injury to which of the following arterial structures that originates near the level of the renal vessels?

An otherwise healthy 45-year-old man comes to the physician because of a painful ulcer on his tongue for 3 days. Examination shows a shallow, tender 5-mm wide ulcer on the lateral aspect of the tongue, adjacent to his left first molar. There is no induration surrounding the ulcer or cervical lymphadenopathy. A lesion of the cranial nerve responsible for the transmission of pain from this ulcer would most likely result in which of the following?

A 35-year-old woman presents with exertional dyspnea and fatigue for the past 3 weeks. She says there has been an acute worsening of her dyspnea in the past 5 days. On physical examination, the mucous membranes show pallor. Cardiac exam is significant for the presence of a mid-systolic murmur loudest in the 2nd left intercostal space. A CBC and peripheral blood smear show evidence of microcytic, hypochromic anemia. Which of the following parts of the GI tract is responsible for the absorption of the nutrient whose deficiency is most likely responsible for this patient’s condition?

A 24-year-old woman comes to the emergency department because of abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting for 12 hours. Her abdominal pain was initially dull and diffuse but has progressed to a sharp pain on the lower right side. Two years ago she had to undergo right salpingo-oophorectomy after an ectopic pregnancy. Her temperature is 38.7°C (101.7°F). Physical examination shows severe right lower quadrant tenderness with rebound tenderness; bowel sounds are decreased. Laboratory studies show leukocytosis with left shift. An abdominal CT scan shows a distended, edematous appendix. The patient is taken to the operating room for an appendectomy. During the surgery, the adhesions from the patient's previous surgery make it difficult for the resident physician to identify the appendix. Her attending mentions that she should use a certain structure for guidance to locate the appendix. The attending is most likely referring to which of the following structures?

A 75-year-old man presents to the clinic for chronic fatigue of 3 months duration. Past medical history is significant for type 2 diabetes and hypertension, both of which are controlled with medications, as well as constipation. He denies any fever, weight loss, pain, or focal neurologic deficits. A complete blood count reveals microcytic anemia, and a stool guaiac test is positive for blood. He is subsequently evaluated with a colonoscopy. The physician notes some “small pouches” in the colon despite poor visualization due to inadequate bowel prep. What is the blood vessel that supplies the area with the above findings?

A 65-year-old man comes to the physician because of progressive abdominal distension and swelling of his legs for 4 months. He has a history of ulcerative colitis. Physical examination shows jaundice. Abdominal examination shows shifting dullness and dilated veins in the periumbilical region. This patient's abdominal findings are most likely caused by increased blood flow in which of the following vessels?

A 55-year-old woman presents with acute onset abdominal pain radiating to her back, nausea, and vomiting. CT scan suggests a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. The pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis relates to inappropriate activation of trypsinogen to trypsin. Which of the following activates trypsin in normal digestion?

A 54-year-old man presents to his primary care physician with a 2-month-history of diarrhea. He says that he feels the urge to defecate 3-4 times per day and that his stools have changed in character since the diarrhea began. Specifically, they now float, stick to the side of the toilet bowl, and smell extremely foul. His past medical history is significant for several episodes of acute pancreatitis secondary to excessive alcohol consumption. His symptoms are found to be due to a deficiency in an enzyme. Which of the following enzymes is most likely deficient in this patient?

A 45-year-old male is brought to the emergency department by emergency medical services after sustaining a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He is unresponsive. His temperature is 99.0°F (37.2°C), blood pressure is 95/58 mmHg, pulse is 115/min, and respirations are 20/min. Physical examination reveals an entry wound in the left abdominal quadrant just inferior to the left lateral costal border. Abdominal CT shows the bullet trajectory through the left abdominal cavity. Which of the following structures has the bullet most likely penetrated?

A 62-year-old female presents to her primary care physician complaining of bloody stool. She reports several episodes of bloody stools over the past two months as well as a feeling of a mass near her anus. She has one to two non-painful bowel movements per day. She has a history of alcohol abuse and hypertension. Anoscopy reveals engorged vessels. Which of the following vessels most likely drains blood from the affected region?