Anatomy and Physiology Flashcards
7 cards from real Certified Surgical Technologist practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Anatomy and Physiology flashcards as text
The common bile duct joins the pancreatic duct at which structure before emptying into the duodenum?
Answer: Ampulla of Vater
The common bile duct and pancreatic duct merge at the ampulla of Vater (hepatopancreatic ampulla) before entering the duodenum through the sphincter of Oddi.
During a thyroidectomy, which small glands embedded in the posterior thyroid capsule must be identified and preserved?
Answer: Parathyroid glands
The four parathyroid glands are embedded in or near the posterior thyroid capsule and regulate calcium homeostasis; their inadvertent removal causes hypocalcemia.
Which tendon is most commonly ruptured in an Achilles tendon repair procedure?
Answer: Calcaneal (Achilles) tendon
The calcaneal (Achilles) tendon, formed by the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, is the thickest tendon in the body and most commonly repaired after rupture.
The brachial plexus originates from which spinal nerve roots?
Answer: C5–T1
The brachial plexus is formed by the ventral rami of spinal nerve roots C5 through T1, providing sensory and motor innervation to the upper extremity.
Which organ is retroperitoneal and is therefore NOT covered by visceral peritoneum on all sides?
Answer: Pancreas (body and tail)
The pancreas (except the tail) is retroperitoneal and lies behind the peritoneum, making it secondarily retroperitoneal with only an anterior peritoneal covering.
The saphenous vein is commonly harvested for coronary artery bypass grafting. Where does the great saphenous vein originate?
Answer: Dorsal venous arch of the foot
The great saphenous vein originates from the medial side of the dorsal venous arch of the foot and ascends along the medial leg to empty into the femoral vein.
During a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the 'critical view of safety' requires identification of the cystic duct and which other structure?
Answer: Cystic artery
The critical view of safety requires that only the cystic duct and cystic artery are seen entering the gallbladder, preventing misidentification of the common bile duct.