Instrument Tray Assembly Flashcards

When assembling a basic laparotomy tray, which instrument is used to retract the edges of a wound and maintain exposure of the operative field?

Answer: Richardson retractor

Richardson retractors are hand-held instruments placed by assistants to hold back wound edges and maintain exposure during abdominal procedures.

Which counting sponge is most commonly placed on the instrument tray for tracking during a surgical procedure?

Answer: Raytec (4x4) sponge

Raytec sponges (4x4 radiopaque sponges) are the standard counted sponge placed on the instrument tray for use during surgery.

A CST is assembling a tray and notices a crack in a needle holder. The correct action is to:

Answer: Remove it from the tray and replace it with an intact instrument

Damaged instruments must be removed from service immediately to prevent instrument failure during a procedure and potential patient injury.

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a towel clip on an instrument tray?

Answer: To secure sterile drapes to the patient

Towel clips (backhaus clamps) are used to secure sterile drapes in place around the operative field.

During tray assembly, instruments should be arranged in which order to improve efficiency?

Answer: Order of use during the surgical procedure

Organizing instruments in the order they will be used during the procedure allows the scrub technician to pass them quickly and efficiently.

Which instrument on a standard instrument tray is used for blunt dissection of tissue planes?

Answer: Kelly hemostat

A Kelly hemostat can be used for blunt dissection by inserting it closed and spreading the jaws to separate tissue planes.

On a mayo stand, where should the sterile field boundary be considered to begin?

Answer: One inch from the edge of the drape on all sides

The sterile field extends to one inch from the edges of the mayo stand drape, which are considered non-sterile border zones.