Surgical Procedures & Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real CST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Surgical Procedures & Techniques flashcards as text
During an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) of a femur fracture, the scrub tech confirms the C-arm is positioned correctly. Which precaution regarding C-arm draping is essential?
Answer: Use a sterile C-arm drape to maintain the sterile field
A sterile C-arm drape must be used whenever the image intensifier enters the sterile field to prevent contamination of the surgical site.
When assisting with a laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the scrub tech should have an endoscopic linear stapler loaded with which staple height for gastric pouch creation?
Answer: 3.5–4.8 mm (blue or green load)
Blue (3.5 mm) or green (4.8 mm) loads are used for thicker gastric tissue, providing adequate compression and hemostasis during pouch creation.
During a below-knee amputation, which level of bone transection preserves maximum functional stump length while ensuring adequate healing?
Answer: 10–15 cm below the tibial plateau
Transecting 10–15 cm below the tibial plateau preserves enough muscle for a well-padded stump and allows effective prosthetic fitting.
A surgeon performing a colostomy asks for a 'trephine' technique. This means the scrub tech should prepare for:
Answer: A circular skin incision creating a small aperture for the stoma
The trephine technique uses a circular skin punch to create a precise-diameter aperture for the stoma without a full laparotomy incision.
During a total knee arthroplasty, the tibial cut is made perpendicular to the mechanical axis of the tibia, typically removing how much bone from the less-affected compartment?
Answer: 8–10 mm
The standard tibial resection removes 8–10 mm from the less-affected compartment to accommodate the tibial component thickness while preserving bone stock.
In a VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) lobectomy, the fissure is divided using:
Answer: Endoscopic linear stapler with vascular load
An endoscopic linear stapler with vascular (white) or medium (blue) load is used to divide the fissure parenchyma safely with minimal air leak risk.
During a uterine myomectomy, which instrument is used to inject vasopressin into the myometrium to reduce bleeding?
Answer: 22-gauge spinal needle on a control syringe
A 22-gauge spinal needle allows precise intramyometrial injection of diluted vasopressin to cause vasoconstriction and reduce intraoperative hemorrhage.