OR Liaison and Surgical Instrument Specialties Flashcards
7 cards from real IAHCSMM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 OR Liaison and Surgical Instrument Specialties flashcards as text
Which organization publishes the standards most commonly referenced for surgical instrument reprocessing in the United States?
Answer: AAMI
AAMI (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation) publishes ST79, the primary U.S. guideline for surgical instrument reprocessing.
During an OR liaison visit, the CS technician notices a surgeon's preferred instrument set is missing a Metzenbaum scissors. What is the BEST immediate action?
Answer: Notify the circulating nurse and attempt to locate a replacement before the case starts
The CS liaison should immediately communicate with the OR team and attempt to source the missing instrument before the case begins to avoid intraoperative delays.
Tungsten carbide inserts in surgical instruments are identified by which feature?
Answer: Gold-colored handles or rings
Tungsten carbide instruments are identified by gold-colored handles or rings, indicating harder cutting edges with superior durability.
What is the purpose of a case cart system in the OR/CS workflow?
Answer: To deliver all instruments and supplies needed for a specific surgical case to the OR
A case cart system delivers all instruments, supplies, and equipment required for a specific scheduled surgical procedure directly to the OR.
A laparoscopic trocar with a blunt-tipped obturator is designed to reduce the risk of:
Answer: Inadvertent visceral injury during insertion
Blunt-tipped obturators reduce the risk of accidental puncture of abdominal organs compared to sharp-tipped designs.
When validating a surgeon's preference card, the CS OR liaison should PRIMARILY verify:
Answer: That all listed instruments and supplies are available and correctly assembled
The OR liaison's role in preference card validation is to confirm all instruments and supplies are present and assembled per the surgeon's specifications.
Which type of surgical instrument is most commonly used to retract soft tissue away from the operative field without active cutting?
Answer: Retractor
Retractors are specifically designed to hold back tissue to expose the operative site without performing cutting or clamping functions.