Intraoperative Procedures 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 Intraoperative Procedures flashcards as text
During a laparotomy, the scrub tech is asked to load a TA stapler. The TA stapler is used to:
Answer: Apply a double row of staples across tissue WITHOUT cutting
The TA (thoracoabdominal) stapler applies two staggered rows of staples across tissue without a built-in cutting blade, requiring the surgeon to cut separately.
When a surgeon requests a 'figure-of-eight' suture pattern, the primary purpose is:
Answer: To provide additional strength and distribute tension at high-stress closure sites
A figure-of-eight suture distributes tension across a wider tissue area, providing reinforced closure at high-stress sites such as fascia or tendon repair.
A Foley catheter is inserted preoperatively in surgical patients primarily to:
Answer: Monitor urinary output and decompress the bladder to prevent injury
Foley catheter insertion allows continuous urine output monitoring as a perfusion indicator and keeps the bladder decompressed to prevent accidental cystotomy.
Which instrument is used to hold a needle securely for suturing deep in a cavity?
Answer: Heaney needle holder
The Heaney needle holder has a curved jaw designed specifically for suturing in deep pelvic and vaginal cavities where straight instruments cannot reach effectively.
During a vascular anastomosis, the surgeon requests heparinized saline irrigation. The purpose is to:
Answer: Prevent thrombus formation in the vessel lumen during anastomosis
Heparinized saline flushes the vessel lumen to prevent clot formation in the stagnant blood column while the anastomosis is being constructed.
What is the correct action if the sterile field becomes contaminated during surgery?
Answer: Immediately inform the surgeon and correct the break in technique
Any break in sterile technique must be immediately identified, announced, and corrected to prevent surgical site infection — delaying or concealing contamination is never acceptable.
During ophthalmic surgery, the scrub tech must handle instruments with particular care because:
Answer: Ophthalmic instruments have extremely fine, delicate tips that are easily damaged and costly to repair
Ophthalmic instruments have microsurgical-caliber tips measured in fractions of a millimeter; even minor contact with hard surfaces can bend or damage them, rendering them non-functional.