SURGICAL FIRST ASSIST UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
●● Type 2 clean-contaminated wounds
Answer: 3-11% risk of infection
Non-sterile body region entered under controlled conditions and without
unusual contamination
(GI or Gu tract, biliary tract, respiratory tract, oropharynx)
Minor breaks in technique
●● Type 3 Contaminated Wound
Answer: 10-17% risk of infection
Major break in sterile technique
Gross spillage from gastrointestinal (GI) tract
Infected GI, urinary or biliary tract
Fresh traumatic wound (through unprepped skin)
●● Type 4 Dirty or Infected wounds
Answer: Infection risk: >27%
Wounds associated with perforated viscus; cross clean tissue to drain pus
Traumatic wounds with:
,Imbedded foreign body
Delayed presentation( > 12-24 hours for face and scalp; > hours
elsewhere)
●● Primary Closure (primary intention)
Answer: Wound edges are brought together so that they are adjacent to
each other
Example: Normal surg. incision, well-repaired lacerations, well reduced
bone fractures, healing after flap surgery
●● Secondary Closure (secondary intention)
Answer: Wound is left open, and closes naturally through granulation
ex. tooth extraction sockets, poorly reduced fractures
●● tertiary closure. (delayed primary closure).
Answer: wound is left open for a number of days and then closed if it
found to be clean
ex. healing of wounds by use of tissue grafts, traumatic wounds
●● Criteria for suture materials
Answer: 1. Tensile strength
2. Good knot security
3. Workability in handling
,4. Low tissue reactivity
5. Ability to resist bacterial infection
●● How are sutures sized?
Answer: 3 to 12-0
Numbers without zeros indicate larger sutures, numbers followed by
zeros indicate smaller sutures
●● Non-absorbable suture are used for what?
Answer: Skin repair when wanting removal
Fasica under tension
Vascular (blood vessel) repairs
-Nylon
-Prolene
-Stainless steel
-Silk
●● When is absorbable suture used?
Answer: Subcutaneous repair
Intraoral mucosa (including tongue)
Fascia not under tension
-Vicryl
, -Monocryl
-PDS
-Chromic
-Cat gut
●● What are the two different types of suture material?
Answer: Monofilament
Multifilament
●● Monofilament
Answer: Single strand of suture material
Minimal tissue trauma
Smooth tying but need more knots needed
Resists harboring organisms
Nylon, monocryl, prolene, PDS
●● Multifilament (braided)
Answer: Fibers are braided or twisted together
More tissue resistance
Easier to handle
Fewer knots needed
Vicryl (braided), silk (braided), chromic (twisted)
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
●● Type 2 clean-contaminated wounds
Answer: 3-11% risk of infection
Non-sterile body region entered under controlled conditions and without
unusual contamination
(GI or Gu tract, biliary tract, respiratory tract, oropharynx)
Minor breaks in technique
●● Type 3 Contaminated Wound
Answer: 10-17% risk of infection
Major break in sterile technique
Gross spillage from gastrointestinal (GI) tract
Infected GI, urinary or biliary tract
Fresh traumatic wound (through unprepped skin)
●● Type 4 Dirty or Infected wounds
Answer: Infection risk: >27%
Wounds associated with perforated viscus; cross clean tissue to drain pus
Traumatic wounds with:
,Imbedded foreign body
Delayed presentation( > 12-24 hours for face and scalp; > hours
elsewhere)
●● Primary Closure (primary intention)
Answer: Wound edges are brought together so that they are adjacent to
each other
Example: Normal surg. incision, well-repaired lacerations, well reduced
bone fractures, healing after flap surgery
●● Secondary Closure (secondary intention)
Answer: Wound is left open, and closes naturally through granulation
ex. tooth extraction sockets, poorly reduced fractures
●● tertiary closure. (delayed primary closure).
Answer: wound is left open for a number of days and then closed if it
found to be clean
ex. healing of wounds by use of tissue grafts, traumatic wounds
●● Criteria for suture materials
Answer: 1. Tensile strength
2. Good knot security
3. Workability in handling
,4. Low tissue reactivity
5. Ability to resist bacterial infection
●● How are sutures sized?
Answer: 3 to 12-0
Numbers without zeros indicate larger sutures, numbers followed by
zeros indicate smaller sutures
●● Non-absorbable suture are used for what?
Answer: Skin repair when wanting removal
Fasica under tension
Vascular (blood vessel) repairs
-Nylon
-Prolene
-Stainless steel
-Silk
●● When is absorbable suture used?
Answer: Subcutaneous repair
Intraoral mucosa (including tongue)
Fascia not under tension
-Vicryl
, -Monocryl
-PDS
-Chromic
-Cat gut
●● What are the two different types of suture material?
Answer: Monofilament
Multifilament
●● Monofilament
Answer: Single strand of suture material
Minimal tissue trauma
Smooth tying but need more knots needed
Resists harboring organisms
Nylon, monocryl, prolene, PDS
●● Multifilament (braided)
Answer: Fibers are braided or twisted together
More tissue resistance
Easier to handle
Fewer knots needed
Vicryl (braided), silk (braided), chromic (twisted)
