Critical Reasoning

Patient: I have read that particles of my artificial hip can wear off and be absorbed by surrounding tissues. I believe that this is responsible for the discomfort that I am now experiencing.

Surgeon: Your surgery was so recent that with normal use it is almost impossible for the artificial hip to have already begun to wear away. The reason for your current discomfort is due to routine post-operative inflammation which can be treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the patient's position regarding her discomfort?

A) The patient has not followed the post-operative instructions she was given regarding how much time she should spend engaged in vigorous activities.

B) The inflammation that is common to people who have had replacement hip replacement surgery often needs to be treated with more potent drugs than the ones being recommended by the surgeon.

C) The patient has an artificial hip that is made of a material that can begin to wear out after a few weeks when exposed to temperatures higher than 200 degrees.

D) The patient read about the possibility of artificial hips wearing out in a respected medical journal.

E) The surgeon has only been performing hip-replacement surgery for less than a year.

SOURCE:VERITAS
OA: A

mparakala wrote:Patient: I have read that particles of my artificial hip can wear off and be absorbed by surrounding tissues. I believe that this is responsible for the discomfort that I am now experiencing.

Surgeon: Your surgery was so recent that with normal use it is almost impossible for the artificial hip to have already begun to wear away. The reason for your current discomfort is due to routine post-operative inflammation which can be treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the patient's position regarding her discomfort?

A) The patient has not followed the post-operative instructions she was given regarding how much time she should spend engaged in vigorous activities.

B) The inflammation that is common to people who have had replacement hip replacement surgery often needs to be treated with more potent drugs than the ones being recommended by the surgeon.

C) The patient has an artificial hip that is made of a material that can begin to wear out after a few weeks when exposed to temperatures higher than 200 degrees.

D) The patient read about the possibility of artificial hips wearing out in a respected medical journal.

E) The surgeon has only been performing hip-replacement surgery for less than a year.

SOURCE:VERITAS
OA: A

One way to STRENGTHEN the patient's conclusion is to WEAKEN the surgeon's conclusion.
The surgeon contends that with NORMAL USE it is almost impossible for the artificial hip to have already begun to wear away.
Answer choice A: The patient has not followed the post-operative instructions she was given regarding how much time she should spend engaged in vigorous activities.
If the patient has engaged in vigorous activities -- the opposite of NORMAL USE -- then the surgeon CANNOT conclude that the artificial hip has not begun to wear away.
The result: the patient's contention that particles from the artificial hip are the reason for her pain is STRENGTHENED.

The correct answer is A.