While in the postanesthesia care unit, a patient recovering from spinal surgery tells the nurse that he cannot feel his right hand and that his right shoulder is painful. The nurse's initial concern is in regard to which complication?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms suggest a brachial plexus nerve injury, which can occur as a complication of spinal surgery. The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that runs from the spinal cord through the shoulder and down the arm. Injury to this area can cause weakness or loss of sensation in the affected limb. Thromboembolism in the brachial artery or infiltrated IV access site would not typically present with these symptoms, and residual effects of spinal anesthesia are unlikely given that the patient is in the postanesthesia care unit.

While in the Postanesthesia Care Unit, a Patient Recovering from Spinal