Surgical Instruments

Question 1

Name the 4 basic categories of surgical instruments

Answer 1

The 4 basic categories of surgical instruments are:

• cutting - to incise, cut, dissect or separate tissue
• clamps - used to control bleeding, hold, join or compress parts together
• graspers - to hold tissue and dressings
• retractors - to hold back tissue layers and provide operative site exposure

Question 2

List three correct statements about passing knives

Answer 2

3 correct statements about passing knives include:

• carefully hold between thumb and index finger
• use a neutral zone rather than directly passing hand to hand.
• the cutting edge of the knife should point away from the surgeon and the periop nurse.

Question 3

Part of the basic instrument set, curved mayo scissors are used for…

Answer 3

Part of the basic instrument set, curved mayo scissors are used for…

dissection of HEAVY tissues

Question 4

Part of the basic instrument set, Metzenbaum scissors are used for…

Answer 4

Part of the basic instrument set, Metzenbaum scissors are used for…

dissection of DELICATE tissues

Question 5

Part of the basic instrument set, straight scissors are used for…

Answer 5

Part of the basic instrument set, straight scissors are used for…

cutting sutures.

Question 6

Other cutting instruments:

Osteotomes

Answer 6

Osteotomes are bone-cutters used for shaping or marking bone or removing periosteum.

double beveled edge, several widths, curved or straight.

Question 7

Other cutting instruments:

Chisels

Answer 7

Chisels are used to sculpt bone and have ONE beveled edge.

Question 8

Other cutting instruments:

Saws

Answer 8

Saws are any notched blade used for cutting bones.

Question 9

Other cutting instruments:

Trephines

Answer 9

Trephines are circular with a sharp edge and used to cut bones from the skull.

Question 10

Other cutting instruments:

Currettes

Answer 10

Currettes are used to remove soft tissue or bone by scraping the sharp edge of the cup/ loop / ring / scoop.

Question 11

Other cutting instruments:

Rasps

Answer 11

Rasps are used to smooth rough bone surfaces or to evacuate medullary canals in prep for insertion of ortho prostheses.

Single or double edged, forward or backward cutting, fine or coarse teeth

Question 12

Other cutting instruments:

Rongeurs

Answer 12

Rongeurs are biting instruments used for cutting tough tissue or bone. Handles with 2 cup like ends that bite into tissue and remove a small section.

Most commonly used on bones or heavy ligaments

Question 13

Clamps are used to hold, join, or compress parts together. Name the 2 types of clamps and their basic uses:

Answer 13

2 types of clamps:

Hemostats – grasp bleeding vessels

Occluding Clamps – clamp bowel, ducts, vessels, ets.

Question 14

Hemostats are the most common of all clamping instruments. Name 3 common hemostatic clamps and their uses:

Answer 14

Hemostats are used to prevent excessive loss of fluid, usually blood, by closing the severed ends of a vessel with minimal tissue damage. All are serrated and may be straight or curved.

Crile - subQ bleeders

Mosquito - superficial bleeders and delicate tissue in plastic surgery.

Kelly – muscle tissue, hold Kitner sponges, pass drains.

Question 15

Occluding clamps are used to clamp tissue with a lumen, with vertical serrations or special jaws with teeth. Give 2 examples of occluding clamps and their uses:

Answer 15

Designed to prevent leakage and to minimize trauma when clamping bowel, vessels, or ducts that are to be reanastomosed.

Kocher / Oshsner clamp

Curved hemostat

Question 16

Graspers and holders are used for tissue retraction with jaws based on their use. Popular grasping clamps include:

Answer 16

Popular clamps include Babcock clamps, Allis clamps and Kocher clamps

Babcock - curved fenestrated tip, used to hold DELICATE structures like bowel, appendix, urethra, fallopian tube.

Kocher - large 1”x2” teeth, used to hold tough, heavy slippery tissue such as fascia, bone, cartilage, uterine broad ligaments.

Allis – multiple fine tiny teeth that curve inward slight to hold tissue gently but firmly. used to retract tissue, grasp fascia, cysts and knee cartilage.

Question 17

Three basic guidelines to be followed when handling powered instruments are:

Answer 17

Three basic guidelines to be followed when handling powered instruments are:

• always have the safety turned on while passing
• always use with the drill guard in place
• always have irrigation ready during surgery.

Question 18

When passing scissors, which of their parts should be visible to the surgeon.

Answer 18

While passing scissors, their tips should be visible to the surgeon.

Question 19

Atraumatic forceps are most often used in _____ surgery

Answer 19

Cardiovascular

Question 20

The point of the forceps should be facing ____ while passing it to the surgeon.

Answer 20

Downward