Question 1

The surgeon is getting ready to perform skin closure of an incision. In addition to a stapler, which of the following forceps would generally be used?

Accepted Answer

Adson forceps are commonly used for skin closure as they have fine teeth that grip onto the skin without causing trauma. Russian forceps are typically used for tissue dissection, Bonney forceps for hemostasis, and DeBakey forceps for vessel manipulation.

Question 2

The surgeon is performing a colectomy. He has just entered the peritoneal cavity and now requests a large, self-retaining retractor. You would hand to him a:

Accepted Answer

A large, self-retaining retractor is required during a colectomy to hold open the incision site and provide a clear view of the surgical field. The Bookwalter retractor is a popular choice for abdominal surgeries as it has multiple blades and can hold a wide opening. The Senn and Weitlaner retractors are handheld instruments and may not provide enough stability for a large incision site. The Richardson retractor is commonly used for smaller incisions in surgery.

Question 3

All of the following are rake retractors except:

Accepted Answer

The Goelet retractor is not a rake retractor; it is a double-ended handheld retractor used for soft tissue retraction.

Question 4

The surgeon inserts a Blake drain into the incision. Which scissors would you hand him/her to cut the drain?

Accepted Answer

Straight Mayo scissors have strong, sturdy blades that can easily cut the tough, rubbery material of a Blake drain without dulling the blades. Metzenbaum and iris scissors are more delicate and may not hold up as well against the drain material.

Question 5

The surgeon is performing an inguinal herniorrhaphy. He/she has made the skin incision and dissected down a short way into the underlying tissue. The assistant asks for a retractor. Which of the following would not be appropriate to hand him/ her?

Accepted Answer

The Balfour retractor is not appropriate for an inguinal herniorrhaphy because it is typically used in abdominal surgeries to keep the incision wide open, whereas an inguinal herniorrhaphy requires retractors suitable for smaller, more superficial incisions, such as the U.S. Army, Volkmann, or Parker retractors.

Question 6

Which of the following would be the most appropriate instrument to hand a surgeon for clamping off a very small blood vessel?

Accepted Answer

Halstead mosquito forceps are specifically designed for clamping off small blood vessels, making them the most appropriate choice for the task described.

Question 7

A Sawyer retractor is used to retract ____________ tissue.

Accepted Answer

The Sawyer retractor is specifically designed for retracting rectal tissue during surgical procedures.

Question 8

A _____________ forceps may be used to grasp an endotracheal tube or catheter for insertion.

Accepted Answer

Magill forceps have a curved shape that makes them useful for navigating tight spaces, such as the nasal passages, when inserting endotracheal tubes or catheters. Blake forceps are better suited for grasping and holding tissues or skin during procedures, Pennington forceps are commonly used for suturing, and Allis forceps are typically used for grasping and manipulating tough or dense tissue.

Question 9

A Mixter is another name for a:

Accepted Answer

A Mixter is another name for a right angle clamp, commonly used in surgical procedures to grasp, mobilize, or temporarily clamp tissues.

Question 10

Which towel clamp has ball stops on the tips?

Accepted Answer

The Roeder towel clamp is designed with ball stops on the tips to prevent deep tissue penetration.

Question 11

Which of the following is not a type of hand-held retractor?

Accepted Answer

Weitlaner is not a hand-held retractor; it is a self-retaining retractor, meaning it holds itself in place once positioned, unlike hand-held retractors which require manual holding.

Question 12

What is the other name for a mosquito clamp?

Accepted Answer

The mosquito clamp is also known as a Halstead clamp, named after William Halstead, a pioneering American surgeon. Choice A (Kelly) refers to a type of forceps used in surgery, while choice C (Pean) and D (Schnidt) are not commonly used medical instruments.

Question 13

You have just handed the surgeon a suture. Which scissors will you have ready to hand to her to cut the suture?

Accepted Answer

Straight Mayo scissors are typically used for cutting sutures.

Question 14

You have a #20 knife blade on your field. Onto what size knife handle do you need to insert the blade?

Accepted Answer

The #20 knife blade is designed to fit onto a #4 handle, which is a common combination used in surgical settings.

Question 15

Which of the following forceps has triangular jaws?

Accepted Answer

Pennington forceps are the only forceps in the given options with triangular jaws. Kocher forceps have straight jaws, Allis forceps have serrated jaws, and Mixter forceps have curved and pointed jaws.

Question 16

The surgeon needs to cut through a heavy muscle. Which scissors would be the most appropriate to hand him/her?

Accepted Answer

The curved Mayo scissors are heavy-duty scissors that are designed to cut through thicker tissues like muscles. They have a curved blade that makes it easier to navigate around curved surfaces, which is important when cutting through a muscle. The Metzenbaum scissors are better suited for cutting through delicate tissues like blood vessels and thinner muscles, while the Iris scissors are typically used for more precise cutting in smaller areas. The straight Iris scissors could potentially be used for cutting through a muscle, but the curved blade of the Mayo scissors would be more effective.

Question 17

Which of the following instruments does not have sharp teeth and therefore can be used on delicate tissue?

Accepted Answer

Babcock forceps have a smooth surface and do not have sharp teeth, making them appropriate for delicate tissue manipulation. Lahey, Kocher, and Backhaus forceps all have sharp teeth or spikes for gripping tissue or securing drapes, therefore they may not be suitable for delicate tissue manipulation.

Question 18

The surgeon is about to irrigate the abdomen with large amounts of normal saline. She asks for an abdominal suction. What is the other name for this instrument?

Accepted Answer

The instrument the surgeon is asking for is the abdominopelvic suction, which is also known as the Poole suction. The Frasier is a type of biopsy needle, the Yankauer is a suction instrument used for oral suctioning, and the tonsil is a surgical instrument used for the removal of tonsils.

Question 19

The nonperforating clip used to hold suction and other cords to the drape is a(n)

Accepted Answer

The clip described in the question is commonly known as an Edna clip, named after its inventor. The other options, Backhaus, Lahey, and Kocher, are all types of surgical clamps used for other purposes, such as securing drapes or clamping blood vessels.

Question 20

A Foerster is a

Accepted Answer

A Foerster is a type of sponge stick, commonly used in surgical procedures to hold gauze sponges for blotting and absorbing fluids.

Quiz 2: General Instruments