Saudi Board General Surgery Part 1 Complete Review Guide 2026–2027

The first three key points of each chapter, as they appear in the guide (in Arabic in the PDF).

Chapter 1: Surgical Anatomy

• The long thoracic nerve supplies serratus anterior; injury causes a winged scapula.
• The pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2–S4) are parasympathetic and control erection and the bladder.
• Midgut volvulus twists around the SMA when the mesenteric base is narrow.

Chapter 2: Trauma, Systemic Response to Injury and Metabolic Support

• Tranexamic acid
• The systolic target in severe brain injury is 100–110 mmHg or more.
• Daily energy need is about 25–30 kcal/kg, and protein 1.2–2.0 g/kg when stressed.

Chapter 3: Shock, Fluid and Electrolyte Management of Surgical Patient

• The 24-hour limit for raising sodium in chronic hyponatraemia is 10 mmol/L (European guideline…
• Dialysis is the definitive treatment for refractory hyperkalaemia in an anuric patient.
• Magnesium deficiency stops potassium and calcium from correcting.

Chapter 4: Surgical Physiology and Pathology

• In the third trimester the patient is tilted to the left to relieve caval…
• Appendicectomy in pregnancy is done without delay once the diagnosis is confirmed.
• Delirium is prevented with multicomponent non-drug measures.

Chapter 5: Principles of Pre-operative, Operative, Anesthesia, and Pain Management

• The WHO checklist phases
• The site mark is an indelible arrow visible after draping, made by the operator…
• PCA

Chapter 6: Surgical Infection

• Cefazolin is first-line prophylaxis for most clean and clean-contaminated operations.
• Gentamicin kills in a concentration-dependent way, so it is given once daily.
• Vaccines after emergency splenectomy are given about 14 days later.

Chapter 7: Surgical Critical Care and Bedside Surgical Procedures

• Driving pressure = plateau pressure minus PEEP.
• The Berlin definition needs PEEP or CPAP of at least 5 cmH₂O.
• A rapid shallow breathing index above about 105 predicts extubation failure.

Chapter 8: Haemostasis, Surgical Bleeding, and Transfusion

• INR above 10 without bleeding
• Factor VII has the shortest half-life of the vitamin K–dependent factors and factor II…
• Lupus anticoagulant prolongs the APTT and causes thrombosis, not bleeding.

Chapter 9: Surgical Complications

• Incisional hernia is the commonest late complication of a midline laparotomy.
• An inflamed central line with rigors
• Piperacillin-tazobactam alone for low-risk hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Chapter 10: Burn and Wound Healing

• Vitamin A counteracts the effect of steroids on wound healing.
• Copper is a cofactor for lysyl oxidase in collagen cross-linking.
• Facial sutures are removed after about 5 days.

Chapter 11: Surgical Oncology and Transplantation

• The N category in TNM describes regional lymph node involvement.
• CEA after colon cancer resection
• Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy at 35–40 lowers mortality in BRCA1 carriers.