NBSTSA ACTUAL TEST BANK QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS ALREADY GRADED A+

This comprehensive test bank is the ultimate study resource for surgical technology students preparing for the NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam, national certification, state CST exams, or surgical technology final exams. Featuring over 300 actual exam-style questions with verified answers, this resource covers every major content area tested on the CST exam: Surgical Procedures & Anatomy – Cholecystectomy (cystic artery/duct ligation, Triangle of Calot, subcostal incision, common duct preservation), appendectomy (oblique incision, Meckel's diverticulum discovery, specimen in formalin), hysterectomy (Heaney clamps, Trendelenburg position, Schroeder forceps for cervix), thyroidectomy (recurrent laryngeal nerve preservation, tracheostomy tube readiness, parathyroid function - calcium regulation), laminectomy (pituitary rongeur for disc removal, Kerrison rongeur for lamina, cottonoids, spinal cord preservation), carotid endarterectomy (Javid shunt, sternocleidomastoid retraction, hypoglossal nerve preservation, Potts scissors for arteriotomy), craniotomy (bone flap removal then dura incision, cottonoid placement with bayonet forceps, Raney clips), TURP (resectoscope for cutting/coagulating, three-way Foley for irrigation/hemostasis, Ellik evacuator), CABG (end-to-side anastomosis, Satinsky clamp before proximal anastomosis, internal mammary to coronary artery), laparoscopic cholecystectomy (subcostal/epigastric trocars, Endo GIA stapler, convert to open subcostal, trochanteric supports), nephrectomy (subcostal flank incision, Gerota's fascia, left lateral position, long instruments needed) Sterilization & Aseptic Technique – Steam sterilization (gravity displacement: 270°F for 10 minutes for IUSS, instruments open, heavy packs at periphery, biological indicator = Geobacillus stearothermophilus, wet pack causes from tight towels), ethylene oxide (Bacillus atrophaeus biological indicator, lengthy cycle, doesn't corrode metal, 30-80% humidity), hydrogen peroxide gas plasma (Bacillus atrophaeus), glutaraldehyde (high-level disinfection for endoscopes), immediate-use sterilization (flash: 3 minutes minimum for unwrapped instruments, 272°F for steam), paper-plastic peel packs (no tape to hold instruments together, label on plastic, air evacuation prevents rupture), ultrasonic cleaner (cavitation for microscopic debris after visible debris removal), biological indicators (only true sterility indicator), chemical indicators (Class 4: multiple parameters, Class 5: specific critical parameters), Bowie-Dick test (residual air detection) Instrumentation & Equipment – Retractors: Gelpi (retracting), Bookwalter (deep pelvic), Weitlaner (groin), Senn (patellar tendon exposure, hand surgery), DeLee (C-section), Balfour (sigmoid resection), Richardson, Hohmann (expose bone surface). Forceps: Kocher (has teeth), Babcock (delicate tissue), Allis (hemorrhoid base, dirty instrument on second mayo), DeBakey (internal organs), Duval (lung tissue), Bayonet (cottonoids in craniotomy), Randall (grasping stones), Russian, Adson. Scissors: Jorgenson (heavy curved tissue-cutting, hysterectomy), Metzenbaum (breast dissection), Potts (carotid arteriotomy), Stevens tenotomy. Clamps: Heaney (hysterectomy), Mixter (cystic duct dissection), Satinsky (before proximal anastomosis in CABG), Allen (cross-clamp intestine), Kelly, Mosquito. Staplers: EEA (low anterior resection, anal pouch), GIA (divide bowel, side-to-side), LDS (divide blood vessels), linear cutter (lap appendectomy), TA, intraluminal (low anterior resection). Specialty: Veress needle (insufflation), resectoscope (TURP), Fogarty catheter (embolus removal, occlusion removal), Fogarty clamp, Javid shunt (carotid), tunneler (vascular graft passage), powered dermatome (width/thickness adjustment), pituitary rongeur (disc material), Kerrison rongeur (lamina, antrostomy), Mayfield clamp (cervical stabilization, posterior cervical decompression), Ellik evacuator (TURP clots), Penrose drain (indirect hernia after spermatic cord dissection) Wound Healing & Hemostasis – Primary intention (sutured edges, appendectomy incision), secondary intention (granulation tissue, left open to heal), tertiary intention (delayed closure), inflammatory phase (20 minutes post-closure, vasodilation, redness, swelling), hemostasis methods: mechanical (vascular clips, pledgets for needle hole bleeding), chemical (Gelfoam with thrombin, Avitene collagen powder kept dry, Surgicel), thermal (bipolar electrocautery), biological (fibrin sealant) Patient Positioning & Safety – Lithotomy (leg stirrups, both legs simultaneously, bladder dissection off uterus before C-section, peroneal nerve injury risk to hip), Trendelenburg (laparoscopic hysterectomy), lateral (total hip arthroplasty, left lateral for right nephrectomy), prone, supine (arms on arm boards, ulnar nerve padding at elbows), Fowler, Kraske. Safety: surgical time out (after positioning, before incision), DNR orders (continued only if durable POA requests), malignant hyperthermia (unexplained tachycardia first sign, succinylcholine trigger, rigidity, fever), hemolytic transfusion reaction (stop transfusion first), sentinel event (patient death from equipment malfunction) Specimen Handling & Counts – Frozen section (sent immediately dry, no formalin, Telfa pad wrap), specimen labeling (surgeon and circulator verify, separate containers for sentinel nodes), appendix (formalin container), cesarean section counts (four: before incision, after baby removal, before uterine closure, before skin closure), sponge counts (circulator and scrub tech, added sponges counted by same, closing order: operative field → Mayo → back table) Medical Terminology & Pharmacology – Suffixes: -phasia (speech), -plasty (repair), -pathy (disease), -lith (stone). Prefixes: peri-/circum- (around), melan/o (black). Anesthetics: lidocaine (shortest duration), bupivacaine 0.25% + lidocaine 1% equal strengths (4mL bupivacaine to 1mL lidocaine), Bier block (IV regional with tourniquet). Medications: atropine (drying secretions pre-op), mannitol (decrease ICP), protamine sulfate (heparin neutralizer), heparin sodium (anticoagulant in vascular procedures) Wound Classification & Infection Control – Class I (clean), Class II (clean-contaminated), Class III (contaminated: bowel perforation, lipoma with serosanguineous fluid), Class IV (dirty-infected). SSI risk factors: immunosuppression, Staphylococcus aureus (most common post-op pathogen), nosocomial infection (diabetic patient highest risk). Standard precautions: biohazard bags for infectious waste, sharps disposal (drill pins), contaminated sharps (never remove needles individually from counter), glove tears (open-gloving change, regown if no assistant) Surgical Incisions & Anatomical Landmarks – Midline laparotomy (Billroth I, sigmoidectomy), subcostal (open cholecystectomy), paramedian (sigmoid surgery), oblique (appendectomy), McBurney's, Pfannenstiel, linea alba (avascular midline from xiphoid to pubis), Triangle of Calot (cystic duct, common hepatic duct, liver edge), Gerota's fascia (surrounds kidney), foramen magnum (occipital opening for spinal cord) Each question is designed to mirror the format, difficulty, and clinical judgment focus of the actual NBSTSA CST exam. Answers include verified correct choices to reinforce must-know surgical procedures, sterile processing principles, instrumentation, anatomy, and patient safety protocols. Perfect for last-minute cramming, test simulation, or systematic content review.