Introduction Flashcards
What is Surgery?
is that branch of medicine, in which diseases are treated wholly or in part by manual or operative procedures
Attributes of a good surgeon
✓ Eye of an eagle
✓ Heart of a Lion
✓ Hands of a woman
surgery is categorized both as an art and as a science. It is not an exact science because judgement and skills are involved
Good decisions and judgments are the keys to a successful surgery
“know when not to cut, then when and where to cut, and when to stop cutting
there is a system of rules by which the art of surgery is practiced. Such rules applies to;
✓ Asepsis
✓ Anesthesia
✓ Tissue manipulation
✓ Suturing
otherwise known as complete asepsis
integral asepsis
it refers to exclusion of all microorganisms, this degree of asepsis is impossible.
Integral asepsis
it implies that all practical steps are taken to achieve complete asepsis
relative asepsis
microorganism can gain access to surgical wound without resulting an infection
relative asepsis
involves the relative exclusion of microorganisms and careful handling of tissues to preserve an inherent defenses
Surgical asepsis
how to protect tissue defenses?
- limit exposure
- minimize imposition of foreign materials
- preservation of circulation
sources of contamination
✓ surgical instruments
✓ environment
✓ personnel
✓ animal patient
2 types of sterilization
✓ cold sterilization
✓ heat sterilization
the use of chemical solutions
cold sterilization
dry heat (oven), autoclave (steam under pressure), moist heat (boiling)
heat sterilization
other factors that influence wound infection
✓ duration of surgery
✓ surgical technique
✓ impaired host resistance
✓ contamination of the wound
the most widely used and efficient method of sterilization
autoclave
items which may be sterilized
✓ surgical instruments
✓ drapes
✓ gowns
✓ swabs
✓ most rubber articles
✓ glasswares
✓ some plastic goods
items which may be damaged in the autoclave
- fibre-optic equipment
- lenses and plastics
- disposable items like catheters
The surgical team
✓ Surgeon
✓ Asst. Surgeon
✓ Anesthetist
✓ Circulating Assistant
Duties/ responsibilities of the surgeon;
✓ the team captain
✓ take responsible in the pre-op, intra-op, and post-op
✓ take responsible in the surgical judgement
Duties of Asst. Surgeon
✓ prepare the instrument trolley
✓ assist in draping the patient
✓ pass instruments, swabs, etc. to the surgeon
✓ assist with surgery; retract tissue, cut sutures
✓ be responsible for all equipments, swabs, sutures, needles etc
Duties of the Anesthetist
✓ responsible in the objective assessment of the surgical patient
✓ administer the appropriate pre-anesthetic and anesthetic drugs.
✓ responsible in monitoring the vital signs, maintenance and level of surgical sleep
