FLS Exam Questions and Answers
100% Pass
smaller tissue area, greater current density and faster heating - ✔✔e.g. Bovie tip
Cut mode - ✔✔- Low voltage
- High frequency
- Continuous waveform
- Heats tissue quickly; cell water converts to steam and causes cell to explode
Coagulation mode - ✔✔- High voltage
- Low frequency
- Intermittent waveform
- Rapid tissue heating, shallow depth of necrosis
- Non-contact: relies on sparking to tissue
Capacitive coupling - ✔✔Transfer current from active electrode through insulation to
passive electrode- electrode to plastic part another LSC instrument
- if constant contact w/ tissue will not store energy and no injury
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,Direct coupling - ✔✔monopolar instrument in direct contact w/ metal portion of
another instrument
Besides capacitative coupling and direct coupling, other hazards of electrocautery - ✔✔-
Current diversion
- Narrow return circuit
Bipolar - ✔✔- forceps w/ two twins (one active other return)
- no pt return electrode required)
- no capacitative coupling
- works in "wet" operative field
- less thermal spread compared to monopolar
bipolar seals vessels up to _____ mm in diameter - ✔✔7 mm
ultrasonic coagulation shears seals vessels up to ____ mm in diameter - ✔✔5 mm
ultrasonic coagulation shears - ✔✔- combo compression and friction
- ONE active blade
- monopolar capacity w/ the one blade
- no capacitative coupling
- high power (MAX): cut
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, - low power (MIN): coag
warfarin is to be discontinued ____ days prior to surgery - ✔✔3 days
mild to moderate systemic disease - ✔✔ASA 2
severe systemic disease that limits patient activity, may or may not be related to reason
for surgery - ✔✔ASA 3
severe systemic disturbances that limit patient and are life-threatening with or without
surgery - ✔✔ASA 4
Little change for survival but surgery last resort (resuscitative effort) - ✔✔ASA 5
ASA classes that may not be appropriate for LSC sx - ✔✔ASA 4 and 5
- body cannot handle decreased venous return, need for hyperventilation
Length of trocar needed for obese pt - ✔✔>100 mm
ABSOLUTE C/I to LSC - ✔✔- Inability to tolerate laparotomy
- Hypovolemic shock
- Lack proper surgeon training/experience
- Lack appropriate institutional support
Relative C/I to LSC - ✔✔- Inability to tolerate GETA
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100% Pass
smaller tissue area, greater current density and faster heating - ✔✔e.g. Bovie tip
Cut mode - ✔✔- Low voltage
- High frequency
- Continuous waveform
- Heats tissue quickly; cell water converts to steam and causes cell to explode
Coagulation mode - ✔✔- High voltage
- Low frequency
- Intermittent waveform
- Rapid tissue heating, shallow depth of necrosis
- Non-contact: relies on sparking to tissue
Capacitive coupling - ✔✔Transfer current from active electrode through insulation to
passive electrode- electrode to plastic part another LSC instrument
- if constant contact w/ tissue will not store energy and no injury
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,Direct coupling - ✔✔monopolar instrument in direct contact w/ metal portion of
another instrument
Besides capacitative coupling and direct coupling, other hazards of electrocautery - ✔✔-
Current diversion
- Narrow return circuit
Bipolar - ✔✔- forceps w/ two twins (one active other return)
- no pt return electrode required)
- no capacitative coupling
- works in "wet" operative field
- less thermal spread compared to monopolar
bipolar seals vessels up to _____ mm in diameter - ✔✔7 mm
ultrasonic coagulation shears seals vessels up to ____ mm in diameter - ✔✔5 mm
ultrasonic coagulation shears - ✔✔- combo compression and friction
- ONE active blade
- monopolar capacity w/ the one blade
- no capacitative coupling
- high power (MAX): cut
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
, - low power (MIN): coag
warfarin is to be discontinued ____ days prior to surgery - ✔✔3 days
mild to moderate systemic disease - ✔✔ASA 2
severe systemic disease that limits patient activity, may or may not be related to reason
for surgery - ✔✔ASA 3
severe systemic disturbances that limit patient and are life-threatening with or without
surgery - ✔✔ASA 4
Little change for survival but surgery last resort (resuscitative effort) - ✔✔ASA 5
ASA classes that may not be appropriate for LSC sx - ✔✔ASA 4 and 5
- body cannot handle decreased venous return, need for hyperventilation
Length of trocar needed for obese pt - ✔✔>100 mm
ABSOLUTE C/I to LSC - ✔✔- Inability to tolerate laparotomy
- Hypovolemic shock
- Lack proper surgeon training/experience
- Lack appropriate institutional support
Relative C/I to LSC - ✔✔- Inability to tolerate GETA
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
