Which monitoring aid should be used continuously on a patient recovering from GDV surgery to monitor for arrhythmias?

• A. Pulse oximeter
• B. ECG to monitor for VPCs
• C. Blood pressure cuff
• D. Temperature probe

Answer: (B)

Continuous ECG monitoring is essential after GDV surgery because the heart is at high risk of postoperative arrhythmias, including ventricular premature complexes. An ECG provides real-time assessment of the cardiac rhythm, so these rhythm disturbances can be detected as soon as they occur and treated promptly to prevent deterioration. Other monitors like a pulse oximeter, blood pressure cuff, or temperature probe track oxygenation, perfusion, or temperature, but they do not identify arrhythmias. A pulse oximeter may miss rhythm changes; a BP cuff gives only intermittent pressures; a temperature probe has no relation to heart rhythm. So, continuous ECG monitoring best protects the patient by catching rhythm abnormalities early and guiding immediate intervention.