Which monitoring modalities are standard in the operating room?

• A. ECG, noninvasive blood pressure, pulse oximetry, capnography, temperature, end-tidal gas monitoring, urine output, and airway status
• B. ECG, ultrasound, arterial line, MRI
• C. Temperature, urine output only
• D. EEG, capnography, plethysmography, skin conductance

Answer: (A)

Intraoperative monitoring uses a core set of physiological signals to continually track how the patient is faring under anesthesia, focusing on heart rhythm and perfusion, ventilation, airway status, temperature, and fluid balance. The combination listed—ECG for heart rhythm, noninvasive blood pressure for circulation, pulse oximetry for oxygenation, capnography for ventilation and airway patency, temperature for thermal regulation, end-tidal gas monitoring for ventilation and anesthetic agent levels, urine output for renal perfusion and fluid status, and a check of airway status—is exactly what most operating rooms routinely monitor during anesthesia. This suite lets the anesthesia team detect problems like hypoxia, hypoperfusion, poor ventilation, or airway obstruction in real time and respond swiftly.

Other options include items not used as standard monitors in the routine OR setting. Ultrasound and MRI are imaging modalities, not continuous monitoring tools; EEG is specialized for certain brain procedures; plethysmography and skin conductance aren’t part of the typical intraoperative monitoring bundle.