Principles of Surgery. Flashcards
What is the largest organ in the body?
The skin.
What are the 3 functions of the skin?
Protection.
Regulation.
Sensation.
What is aseptic technique?
Closely followed procedures that are designed to minimize any infections that could occur after surgery.
Proper aseptic technique revolves around which 4 things?
The surgical facility.
The patient.
The surgeon.
The surgical equipment.
What are disinfectants?
Antimicrobial agents that are applied to non-living objects to destroy microorganisms found on those surfaces.
What will disinfectants be used for within the operating room?
To clean the facilities and to kill any pathogens present on the surgical equipment.
Are disinfectants ever used on a patient?
No.
Will disinfectants kill spores?
No.
What is the function of an antiseptic?
To prevent the growth of or kill microorganisms on living tissue.
Define sterilisation?
A procedure that will destroy all microorganisms and their spores.
What are the 2 methods of sterilisation?
Pressurized steam.
Chemical.
What is an autoclave used for?
To sterilize instruments with pressurized steam.
How can water be heated to more that 100 degrees C?
By increasing the pressure.
How are instuments placed into an autoclave?
At 250 ºF to 275 ºF for 15 to 30 minutes.
Why is the skin treated with antseptics etc before surgery?
Because it is a continuing source of contamination.
What is the goal of clipping hair and applying an antispeptic to a patients skin?
To kill and remove any of skin bacteria.
What major characteristics should an antiseptic that is used for pre-surgical skin preparation have?
It should kill bacteria very quickly.
They must be non-toxic to the patient.
They must be able to be quickly applied.
What are 2 widely used antispetics that are used in veterinary medicine?
Chlorhexidine and aqueous iodine scrubs.
How should hair be clipped around an injury site before surgery occurs?
The border of clipped hair should be around 20 cm at each side of the incision.
What grip should be used to hold clippers?
A pencil grip.
What happens to the skin after it has been clipped?
It is scrubbed with germicidal soaps to remove debris and reduce bacterial populations.
When is the animal moved into the operating room?
After clipping has occurred.
What is the 1st thing that happens once the animal has been moved into the operating room?
The skin is scrubbed.
How should the surgeon prepare for surgery?
They should scrub their hands before putting on sterile gloves.
They should also wear a surgical cap, face mask, and sterile gown.
When does haemostasis begin during the healing process?
Immediately after the surgical incision.
It is charactierised by blood vessel constriction and blood clotting.
What occurs during the inflammatory of healing?
Blood vessels dilate and more white blood cells travel to the site of incision.
The white blood cells will help to destroy damaged tissue and kill bacteria.
What occurs during the proliferative phase of healing?
Fibroblasts enter the damaged area and form fibrous connective tissue which is known as granulation tissue.
What occurs during the remodelling phase of healing?
The wound heals and decreases in size.
What will surgeons do to the incision site so that the healing process can be minimised?
They will bring incision edges together.
In a well-closed incision the epithelial cells can cross the laceration within one to two days.
What describes a wound that has the edges closely stitched together?
First intention healing.
What is the golden period following surgery?
The first six to eight hours, when bacterial numbers are still at low.
What is 2nd intention healing?
Healing that occurs in wounds where granulation tissue must fill the incision site so that epithelial cells can grow.
Define a haematoma?
An accumulation of blood in a dead space.
Define a seroma?
An accumulation of fluid that contains a small number of red blood cells.
Define an abcess?
An accumulation of fluid that contains bacteria, white blood cells, and dead tissue.
What are Halsteds 7 principles of surgery?
Gentle handling of the tissue.
Meticulous haemostasis.
Preservation of blood supply.
Good aseptic technique.
Minimum tension on tissues.
Accurate tissue apposition.
Obliteration of dead space.
What is an absorbale suture?
A sterile, flexible strand that is made from the collagen of healthy mammals or from synthetic polymers.
It can be absorbed by living tissues.
What are natural sutures made from?
Collagens (Surgical gut or catgut).
What 3 things can synthetic sutures be made from?
Monocryl.
Vicryl.
PDS.
What is the major characteristic of non-absorbable sutures?
This suture material is not destroyed by the body and these sutures are used for long term support.
What 4 kinds of suture material is used for non-absorbable sutures?
Surgical cotton.
Surgical silk.
Surgical steel.
Synthetic echelon or prolene.
What surgical incisions are staples used to close?
Incisions that have fairly straight edges.
What are the advantages of using staples to close a wound?
It is a quick and effective method for closing skin incisions.
It reduces anesthesia time.
What are the disadvantages of using staples to close a wound?
The staples penetrate the epidermis which may result in scaring.
They are uncomfortable for the patient.
They irritate the skin.
What will speed up surgery after healing?
Confining the animal and restricting movement.
How long should patients be confined for after a surgery?
It depends on the surgery, but it can be between 2 weeks and 2 months.
What is the usual recovery time for excision arthroplasty or abdominal surgery?
2-3 weeks.
What is the usual recovery time for patellar luxations or internal surgery?
3-4 weeks.
What is the usual recovery time for young animal fractures, dislocations or spinal surgery?
5-6 weeks.
What is the usual recovery time for most fractures, any surgery involving cutting bone or any surgeries involving fusion?
6-8 weeks.
What is the usual recovery time for osteotomys or total Hip Replacements
8 weeks.
What are 4 post op medications that can be given to an animal at home?
Antibiotics.
Pain medication.
Sedatives.
What is the 1st sign of infection?
An elevated temperature.
How often should an animals temperature be taken after surgery?
Twice a day.
What behaviours might indicate post surgical infection?
Lethargy.
Abnormal eating and drinking habits.
Restlessness.
How can you stop the pet from licking the bandge?
Through the use of a plastic Elizabethan collar.
