Which description is most characteristic of osteoarthritis (OA) when compared to rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

Choice A reason: Applying pediculicide lotion is inappropriate for tick removal, as it targets lice, not ticks. This could irritate the skin or prompt the tick to regurgitate, increasing the risk of pathogen transmission, such as Borrelia burgdorferi causing Lyme disease. Proper removal uses mechanical extraction to minimize infection, ensuring safe and effective tick removal without chemical interference.

Choice B reason: Using a hot ember to remove a tick is hazardous and ineffective. Heat may cause the tick to release pathogens into the bite site, heightening infection risk, and can burn the skin. Safe removal involves tweezers grasping the tick near the skin for intact extraction, reducing complications like Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever transmission.

Choice C reason: Grasping the tick close to the skin with fine-tipped tweezers is the standard method. This ensures complete removal, including mouthparts, minimizing infection risk from pathogens like Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. The technique prevents tissue damage and pathogen spread, promoting safe extraction and reducing complications from tick-borne illnesses.

Choice D reason: Using a twisting motion risks breaking the tick’s mouthparts, leaving them embedded, which increases infection risk and complicates removal. A steady, upward pull without twisting is recommended to extract the tick fully, preventing transmission of diseases like Lyme disease or babesiosis, ensuring effective and safe tick removal.

Choice A reason: Fasciotomy is the primary surgical treatment for compartment syndrome, where increased intracompartmental pressure threatens muscle and nerve viability. Incising the fascia relieves pressure, restoring perfusion and preventing necrosis. Prompt preparation for fasciotomy is critical to salvage tissue, avoiding permanent damage or amputation in acute cases from trauma or fractures.

Choice B reason: Internal fixation, used for fracture stabilization, does not address compartment syndrome’s urgent pressure buildup. While fractures may contribute to the condition, fasciotomy is prioritized to relieve pressure. Expecting fixation misguides preparation, risking delayed decompression, which could lead to muscle necrosis, nerve damage, or limb loss.

Choice C reason: Tendon release is not a treatment for compartment syndrome, which involves fascial compartment pressure, not tendon pathology. Fasciotomy targets fascia to relieve pressure. Assuming tendon release misdirects surgical preparation, delaying critical intervention and increasing risks of irreversible tissue damage, chronic pain, or functional loss.

Choice D reason: Amputation is a last resort for compartment syndrome, used only if fasciotomy fails or necrosis is irreversible. Preparing for amputation first overlooks fasciotomy’s potential to save the limb. This assumption risks unnecessary limb loss, misaligning with urgent decompression to restore perfusion and preserve function in acute cases.