Instrument Identification & Passing Flashcards
7 cards from real CFA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Instrument Identification & Passing flashcards as text
A Cushing vein retractor is most often used in which surgical specialty?
Answer: Neurosurgery for gently retracting brain or spinal tissue
The Cushing vein retractor is a delicate handheld instrument designed for neurosurgical procedures to gently retract brain tissue and veins.
The difference between a Mayo scissors and a Metzenbaum scissors can best be identified by:
Answer: Blade length relative to handle length — Mayo has shorter blades proportional to the handle
Mayo scissors have heavier, shorter blades relative to the handle for cutting tough tissue, while Metzenbaum scissors have longer, finer blades for delicate dissection.
A first assistant is asked to pass 'pickups with teeth.' This refers to:
Answer: Adson or tissue forceps with serrated rat-tooth tips
'Pickups with teeth' is surgical slang for toothed tissue forceps (such as Adson with teeth) that grip tissue more firmly than smooth forceps.
Which retractor system is most commonly used for prolonged abdominal retraction without a dedicated human holder?
Answer: Bookwalter or Omni retractor system
The Bookwalter (and Omni) retractor attaches to the OR table and holds multiple blades in fixed positions, freeing assistant hands throughout long abdominal cases.
When passing a curved hemostat, the handle orientation should be such that:
Answer: The curve faces away from the surgeon's palm to allow immediate use after grasping
Hemostats are palmed with curve away from the palm so the surgeon can open, clamp, and lock the instrument without having to reposition it after the pass.
Identify the instrument used to probe and dilate the common bile duct during choledochotomy:
Answer: Bakes common duct dilators
Bakes common duct dilators are olive-tipped, graduated instruments specifically designed to probe and dilate the common bile duct.
A surgeon requests a 'figure-of-eight' suture for a bleeder. The first assistant should anticipate passing:
Answer: A loaded needle holder and suture, followed by scissors after the knot is tied
A figure-of-eight suture requires a needle driver loaded with suture; the assistant passes it ready to sew, then passes scissors to cut the ends after the knot is secured.