CST Anesthesia & Surgical Positioning 2

Question 1

Which local anesthetic has the longest duration of action and is commonly used for spinal and epidural blocks?

Accepted Answer

Bupivacaine

Answer

Bupivacaine is an amide local anesthetic with a long duration of action (3–10 hours), making it preferred for prolonged regional and neuraxial blocks.

Question 2

Epinephrine is added to local anesthetic solutions primarily to:

Accepted Answer

Prolong duration by causing local vasoconstriction

Answer

Epinephrine causes vasoconstriction at the injection site, slowing systemic absorption and prolonging the anesthetic effect.

Question 3

Capnography (end-tidal CO2 monitoring) is primarily used intraoperatively to confirm:

Accepted Answer

Correct endotracheal tube placement and ventilation adequacy

Answer

A consistent CO2 waveform on capnography confirms the endotracheal tube is in the trachea and that ventilation is effective.

Question 4

Which reversal agent is used to antagonize non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents at the end of surgery?

Accepted Answer

Neostigmine

Answer

Neostigmine inhibits acetylcholinesterase, increasing acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction to competitively overcome non-depolarizing blockade.

Question 5

A laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is best classified as:

Accepted Answer

A supraglottic airway device that sits above the larynx

Answer

The LMA is a supraglottic airway that creates a seal around the laryngeal inlet without passing through the vocal cords.

(CST) Certified Surgical Technician Practice Test

(CST) Certified Surgical Technician Practice Test

CST Anesthesia & Surgical Positioning 2