Certified Surgical Technologist Basics 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The purpose of the time-out procedure before surgery is to:
- Allow the anesthesia team to finish induction before the skin prep begins
- Verify patient identity, procedure, site, and confirm all team members are ready (Correct answer)
- Review the patient's allergy list with the circulating nurse
- Confirm sterilization records for all instruments on the back table
Correct answer: Verify patient identity, procedure, site, and confirm all team members are ready
The Universal Protocol time-out actively confirms correct patient, procedure, and site to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient errors.
Question 2: When opening sterile supplies onto the back table, the circulator should:
- Reach over the sterile field to place items in the center
- Peel the package open and drop or present the item without contaminating contents (Correct answer)
- Hand the scrub tech the outer wrapper to open at the table
- Open the package and set it on the edge of the sterile field
Correct answer: Peel the package open and drop or present the item without contaminating contents
The circulator peels back the wrapper and either drops the sterile item onto the field or presents it so the scrub tech can remove it, maintaining sterile integrity.
Question 3: Which hemostatic agent works by providing a matrix for platelet aggregation?
- Epinephrine
- Thrombin (topical)
- Gelatin sponge (Gelfoam) (Correct answer)
- Bone wax
Correct answer: Gelatin sponge (Gelfoam)
Absorbable gelatin sponge (Gelfoam) provides a physical scaffold that facilitates platelet aggregation and clot formation.
Question 4: A patient is placed in the lithotomy position. The MOST important complication to monitor for during extended procedures is:
- Corneal abrasion
- Compartment syndrome of the lower extremities (Correct answer)
- Brachial plexus injury
- Pressure ulcer on the occiput
Correct answer: Compartment syndrome of the lower extremities
Prolonged lithotomy position compresses the lower extremity compartments and can cause compartment syndrome, a serious, potentially limb-threatening complication.
Question 5: Chromic gut suture differs from plain gut suture in that it:
- Is made from synthetic polymer rather than collagen
- Has been treated with chromium salts to extend absorption time (Correct answer)
- Causes less tissue reaction than plain gut
- Is non-absorbable and used for permanent closure
Correct answer: Has been treated with chromium salts to extend absorption time
Chromic gut is treated with chromium trioxide, which cross-links collagen fibers and delays absorption from 7–10 days to 10–21 days.
Question 6: Which instrument would the scrub tech most likely hand the surgeon to grasp and cut the cystic duct during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
- Curved Mayo scissors and Kelly clamp
- Laparoscopic clip applier and laparoscopic scissors (Correct answer)
- Harmonic scalpel and Babcock clamp
- LigaSure vessel-sealing device and straight hemostat
Correct answer: Laparoscopic clip applier and laparoscopic scissors
During laparoscopic cholecystectomy, clips are applied to the cystic duct with a clip applier, and laparoscopic scissors are used to divide it between the clips.
Question 7: The primary reason for performing a surgical hand scrub is to:
- Achieve skin sterilization on the hands and forearms
- Remove transient microorganisms and reduce resident flora to a minimum (Correct answer)
- Replace the need for sterile gloves during the procedure
- Eliminate the risk of surgical site infection entirely
Correct answer: Remove transient microorganisms and reduce resident flora to a minimum
The surgical hand scrub removes transient bacteria and significantly reduces resident flora; complete skin sterilization is not achievable, which is why sterile gloves are still worn.
Certified Surgical Technologist Basics 4
The purpose of the time-out procedure before surgery is to: