Core Surgical Skills Flashcards
What is the overall rate of serious complications at gynaecological laparoscopy?
1 in 1,000 cases
Which complications must be explained for every woman having a gynaecolgical laparoscopy?
Damage to bladder, bowel and urinary tract, and incisional hernia
What is the evidence for open (Hasson’s) versus closed (Veress/Visiport) laparoscopic entry?
No significant safety advantage to either method on meta-analysis
What two points of technique are evidenced to improve successful Veress needle entry?
- Not elevating the abdominal wall
- Observe that the initial insufflation pressure is <8mmHg
What intra-abdominal pressures should be used during and after laparoscopic entry?
- Entry pressure of 20-25mmHg
- Operating pressure of 12-15mmHg
Where is Palmer’s point?
3cm below the left costal margin in the mid-clavicular line
What are the rules for the deep rectus sheath should be closed at a port site?
- Any non-midline port over 7mm should be closed
- Any midline port over 10mm should be closed
Why may saline be a better distension medium than CO2 at outpatient hysteroscopy?
- It is associated with fewer cases of vasovagal syncope
- Image quality is often better than with CO2
- Saline is required if using bipolar electrosurgery
What analgesia should be provided if grasping the cervix with a tenaculum is necessary at outpatient hysteroscopy?
Topical local anaesthetic
What is the evidence for cervical preparation with prostaglandins prior to outpatient hysteroscopy?
- No reduction in rate of cervical lacerations across a meta-analysis
- No reduction in failure rates across a meta-analysis
- Less pain during cervical dilatation for post-menopausal women who received Misoprostol prior to OPH
Which incision gives access to the space of Retzius, necessary for some urogynaecological surgery?
Cherney’s incision
Which pelvic side-wall artery can be more easily accessed with a Cherney incision?
The hypogastric artery
What is the major risk of the Maylard incision?
Lower extremity ischaemia due to inferior epigastric artery ligation
What can be a useful landmark to identify the midline during midline laparotomy?
The pyramidalis muscle
What structures can be damaged if a transverse incision is extended beyond the lateral edges of the rectus muscles?
The ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerves
What closure technique is favoured by the literature?
Mass closure technique using looped, delayed-absorbable suture (i.e. loop PDS), with a wound: suture length ratio of 1:4
Which closure technique can be described as far-far, near-near?
Smead-Jones
What is the relative risk of wound infection for morbidly obese patients?
7:1
Above what size laparoscopic port incision should deep sheath closure be done?
> 7mm for non-midline
10mm for midline
Approximately how many days does PDS take to be absorbed?
180-210 days
Approximately how many days does Vicryl take to be absorbed?
60-90
What is the incidence of neuropathy following gynaecological surgery?
1.1-1.9%