SURGICAL PROCEDURES & INSTRUMENTS

Question 1

What’s the number one surgery in the US?

Answer 1

Cataract removal

Question 2

Where do most PA’s work in surgical specialties?

Answer 2

General, Urology, Orthopedic, Neuro, and cardiothoracic

Question 3

A Thyroidectomy would be performed by what type of surgeon?

Answer 3

Cancer

Question 4

What are the 4 surgical approaches?

Answer 4

Open, Laparoscopic, Arthroscopic, and Robotic

Question 5

What surgical approach is minimally invasive uses a camera with small incisions (0.5-1.5cm)?

Answer 5

Laparoscopic

Question 6

What are some advantages to laparoscopic surgery?

Answer 6

Less pain/hemorrhage, shorter recovery times

Question 7

What’s the disadvantage to robotic surgery?

Answer 7

Cost!

Question 8

What two surgeries involve looking at screens, rather than into the patient?

Answer 8

Laparoscopic or Arthroscopic

Question 9

The type of surgery, surgeon experience, equipment of the facility, patient preferences and EBM – are all factors associated with what?

Answer 9

Determining the surgical approach

Question 10

What can change: length of time in surgery, hospital LOS, choice of anesthesia, and patient positioning on OR table?

Answer 10

Surgical approach

Question 11

What do we use to cut, dissect, separate, and excise tissue?

Answer 11

Scalpel

Question 12

What do you use to cut or coagulate tissue?

Answer 12

“Bovie” or electrosurgical instruments

Question 13

What do we use to grasp/hold objects?

Answer 13

Forceps/Adsons

Question 14

What do we use to hold objects in fixed positions or occlude blood vessels?

Answer 14

Clamps

Question 15

What do you use to hold back or separate tissue/incision, to better visualize the operative field?

Answer 15

Retractors

Question 16

What do we use to hold suture needles or apply sutures?

Answer 16

Needle holder/Mayo-hegar

Question 17

What do we use to remove blood and other fluid from a surgical field to provide better visualization?

Answer 17

Suction Tips

Question 18

What do we use to enlarge or expand the size of an opening?

Answer 18

Dilators

Question 19

What do we use to puncture and enter the abdomen; as a sleeve for various instruments?

Answer 19

Trocars/Cannulas

Question 20

What percentage of PA’s work in surgical practice?

Answer 20

27%

Question 21

What’s your role as a surgical PA?

Answer 21

Perform surgical consultation in clinic
Get patient ready for OR
First assist in surgery
Perform hospital rounds post-op
Perform post-op checks in clinic
*AKA made the MD more efficient