Which activity would most likely increase intracranial pressure in a patient who had a hypophysectomy?

• A. Drinking lots of water
• B. Eating high-fiber foods
• C. Bending over at the waist
• D. Bending knees when lowering the body

Answer: (C)

After hypophysectomy, anything that raises intracranial pressure (ICP) can stress the surgical site and risk CSF leak or wound complication. Bending over at the waist increases ICP because it raises intrathoracic and abdominal pressures and impedes venous return from the brain through the neck’s veins. That sudden rise in cerebral venous pressure translates to higher ICP, making this activity the one most likely to elevate ICP in this postoperative setting. The other options don’t cause an immediate, direct rise in ICP: drinking a lot of water isn’t inherently increasing ICP; eating high-fiber foods could contribute to straining only during bowel movements, and bending the knees when lowering the body is less likely to elevate ICP.