Chapter 10: Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist
stainless steel (combo of carbon, chromium, iron, and a few other metals {alloys}) - correct
answer What are most modern surgical instruments made of?
resistance - correct answer Chromium increases _________________ to corrosion.
titanium - correct answer stronger and lighter in weight; nonmagnetic; more resistant to
corrosion than stainless steel; generally have a blue finish of titanium oxide, which is designed
to reduce glare
highly polished, bright finish - correct answer increases resistance to corrosion but can be
distracting to the surgical team because of its tendency to reflect light
satin (dull) finish - correct answer less reflective and reduce glare
ebonized (black chromium) finish - correct answer nonreflective and virtually eliminates glare;
recommended for procedures involving a laser because it prevent deflection of the laser beam
accessory instruments - correct answer ring forceps, used to grasp a folded radiopaque 4x4
sponge for sponging or retraction deep with a wound; curved ring forceps, which may be used
to create tunnels for placement of catheters or arterial grafts; towel clips, used to hold folded
towels together during square-draping and occasionally used to grasp, hold, and reduce small
fractured bones
cutting/dissecting instruments - correct answer instruments with one or more sharp edges that
are used for incision, sharp dissection, or excision of tissue
cutting/dissecting instruments - correct answer knives, scalpels, and bone-cutting instruments
(osteotomes, currettes, chisels, gouges, and rongeurs); saws, drills, biopsy punches,
adenotomes, and dermatomes may also be classified as ___________________________
-tome - correct answer refers to an instrument for cutting
scalpels - correct answer typically have a detachable disposable blade and nondisposable
handle
knife - correct answer have a nondisposable handle and blade as a single unit
safety scalpel - correct answer single-use, disposable knife blades that include a safety shield;
may include a disposable or nondisposable knife handle depending upon the manufacturer
scalpel handle sizes - correct answer #3, #4, #7, and #9
#3 and #4 - correct answer standard handles are 5 inches in length; also available as a long
handle
,other types of knife handles - correct answer miniature blade handle with chuck (device used to
tighten the blade onto the handle), used for procedures that require very small incisions, such
as eye procedures; Beaver handle, which is specifically designed to hold the small Beaver blades
disposable blades - correct answer made from carbon steel and slide into a groove on the end
of the scalpel handle, although some scalpels handles have a locking mechanism instead of a
groove for easy loading; must be loaded onto and removed from the handle with an
instrument, typically a needle holder
blades - correct answer #10, #11, #12, and #15 fit #3, #7, and #9 handles;
#20-#25 fit a #4 handle
#69 - correct answer What is the most frequently used Beaver blade?
#10 (typically loaded onto the #3 handle) - correct answer What is the most frequently used
blade?
#11, #12, #15 - correct answer The _____, _____, and _____ blades are usually loaded on the
#7 handle.
#15 - correct answer The _____ blade is frequently used with the #3 handle for superficial
procedures requiring a small incision, such as plastic or hand procedures.
#12 - correct answer The _____ blade is used almost exclusively for tonsillectomy.
#20 - correct answer The _____ blade is occasionally used for long and deep abdominal
incisions.
types of scissors - correct answer tissue, suture, wire, and bandage/dressing
tissue scissors - correct answer may be of heavy construction for tough tissue, medium
construction for tissue that is neither tough nor delicate, or light constructions for thin, friable
tissue; tips may be pointed or blunt; blades may be straight or curved and available in different
lengths and degrees of blade curves
tungsten carbide blades - correct answer these blades are stronger and harder, maintaining
their sharpness for longer than stainless steel; have gold ring handles to distinguish them from
conventional instruments
Curved Mayo - correct answer __________________________ scissors are often the choice for
heavy tissue.
Curved Metzenbaum - correct answer __________________________ scissors are used for
medium to fine tissue.
, curved iris, Jamison, Westcott, Stephen's tenotomy, Potts-Smith - correct answer Delicate
tissue is frequently dissected with __________________, __________________,
___________________, ____________________, or _____________________ scissors.
Straight Mayo - correct answer __________________________ scissor are always used to cut
suture and are rarely used to cut tissue.
straight iris, curved Metzenbaum - correct answer Other scissors used for cutting suture include
_____________________ scissors, frequently used to cut fine sutures during ophthalmic or
plastic procedures, and _________________________ scissors, preferred by some
cardiovascular surgeons for cutting polypropylene suture.
Potts-Smith scissors - correct answer for incisions into ducts, veins, or arteries
Jorgenson scissors - correct answer for hysterectomy
Cushing scissors - correct answer for dural incision
Castroviejo scissors - correct answer scissors that are used for microsurgery
strabismus, iris, and corneal scissors - correct answer for eye procedures
grasping/holding instruments - correct answer designed to manipulate tissue to facilitate
dissection or suturing or to reduce and stabilize fractured bone during internal fixation; may or
may not have a ratcheted locking mechanism
thumb forceps - correct answer also referred to as pick-ups; do not have ratchets and are
constructed with a flattened spring handle; are usually used in the nondominant hand to grasp
and hold tissue when suturing or dissecting
Toothed - correct answer _____________________ forceps are most often used on skin, fascia,
and other heavy tissue.
Smooth, serrated - correct answer _____________ and _______________ forceps are used on
more delicate structures, such as vascular, nervous, or bowel tissues.
examples of thumb forceps - correct answer Adson (with and without teeth), Ferris-Smith,
DeBakey, Brown, Russian, Gerald (with and without teeth), and Cushing bayonet forceps (with
and without teeth)
ratcheted grasping/holding instruments - correct answer Allis, Babcock, Kocher (Ochsner)
bone-holding clamps - correct answer typically ratcheted and are designed to hold a bone in
place for eventual pinning or plating; examples include Lane, Kern, Lowman, and Lewin
clamping/occluding instruments - correct answer designed to occlude or constrict tissue and
are constructed with opposing ring handles for fingers, ratchets located just below the ringed
handles to lock the instrument in place, and two shanks that connect the ringed handles to the
stainless steel (combo of carbon, chromium, iron, and a few other metals {alloys}) - correct
answer What are most modern surgical instruments made of?
resistance - correct answer Chromium increases _________________ to corrosion.
titanium - correct answer stronger and lighter in weight; nonmagnetic; more resistant to
corrosion than stainless steel; generally have a blue finish of titanium oxide, which is designed
to reduce glare
highly polished, bright finish - correct answer increases resistance to corrosion but can be
distracting to the surgical team because of its tendency to reflect light
satin (dull) finish - correct answer less reflective and reduce glare
ebonized (black chromium) finish - correct answer nonreflective and virtually eliminates glare;
recommended for procedures involving a laser because it prevent deflection of the laser beam
accessory instruments - correct answer ring forceps, used to grasp a folded radiopaque 4x4
sponge for sponging or retraction deep with a wound; curved ring forceps, which may be used
to create tunnels for placement of catheters or arterial grafts; towel clips, used to hold folded
towels together during square-draping and occasionally used to grasp, hold, and reduce small
fractured bones
cutting/dissecting instruments - correct answer instruments with one or more sharp edges that
are used for incision, sharp dissection, or excision of tissue
cutting/dissecting instruments - correct answer knives, scalpels, and bone-cutting instruments
(osteotomes, currettes, chisels, gouges, and rongeurs); saws, drills, biopsy punches,
adenotomes, and dermatomes may also be classified as ___________________________
-tome - correct answer refers to an instrument for cutting
scalpels - correct answer typically have a detachable disposable blade and nondisposable
handle
knife - correct answer have a nondisposable handle and blade as a single unit
safety scalpel - correct answer single-use, disposable knife blades that include a safety shield;
may include a disposable or nondisposable knife handle depending upon the manufacturer
scalpel handle sizes - correct answer #3, #4, #7, and #9
#3 and #4 - correct answer standard handles are 5 inches in length; also available as a long
handle
,other types of knife handles - correct answer miniature blade handle with chuck (device used to
tighten the blade onto the handle), used for procedures that require very small incisions, such
as eye procedures; Beaver handle, which is specifically designed to hold the small Beaver blades
disposable blades - correct answer made from carbon steel and slide into a groove on the end
of the scalpel handle, although some scalpels handles have a locking mechanism instead of a
groove for easy loading; must be loaded onto and removed from the handle with an
instrument, typically a needle holder
blades - correct answer #10, #11, #12, and #15 fit #3, #7, and #9 handles;
#20-#25 fit a #4 handle
#69 - correct answer What is the most frequently used Beaver blade?
#10 (typically loaded onto the #3 handle) - correct answer What is the most frequently used
blade?
#11, #12, #15 - correct answer The _____, _____, and _____ blades are usually loaded on the
#7 handle.
#15 - correct answer The _____ blade is frequently used with the #3 handle for superficial
procedures requiring a small incision, such as plastic or hand procedures.
#12 - correct answer The _____ blade is used almost exclusively for tonsillectomy.
#20 - correct answer The _____ blade is occasionally used for long and deep abdominal
incisions.
types of scissors - correct answer tissue, suture, wire, and bandage/dressing
tissue scissors - correct answer may be of heavy construction for tough tissue, medium
construction for tissue that is neither tough nor delicate, or light constructions for thin, friable
tissue; tips may be pointed or blunt; blades may be straight or curved and available in different
lengths and degrees of blade curves
tungsten carbide blades - correct answer these blades are stronger and harder, maintaining
their sharpness for longer than stainless steel; have gold ring handles to distinguish them from
conventional instruments
Curved Mayo - correct answer __________________________ scissors are often the choice for
heavy tissue.
Curved Metzenbaum - correct answer __________________________ scissors are used for
medium to fine tissue.
, curved iris, Jamison, Westcott, Stephen's tenotomy, Potts-Smith - correct answer Delicate
tissue is frequently dissected with __________________, __________________,
___________________, ____________________, or _____________________ scissors.
Straight Mayo - correct answer __________________________ scissor are always used to cut
suture and are rarely used to cut tissue.
straight iris, curved Metzenbaum - correct answer Other scissors used for cutting suture include
_____________________ scissors, frequently used to cut fine sutures during ophthalmic or
plastic procedures, and _________________________ scissors, preferred by some
cardiovascular surgeons for cutting polypropylene suture.
Potts-Smith scissors - correct answer for incisions into ducts, veins, or arteries
Jorgenson scissors - correct answer for hysterectomy
Cushing scissors - correct answer for dural incision
Castroviejo scissors - correct answer scissors that are used for microsurgery
strabismus, iris, and corneal scissors - correct answer for eye procedures
grasping/holding instruments - correct answer designed to manipulate tissue to facilitate
dissection or suturing or to reduce and stabilize fractured bone during internal fixation; may or
may not have a ratcheted locking mechanism
thumb forceps - correct answer also referred to as pick-ups; do not have ratchets and are
constructed with a flattened spring handle; are usually used in the nondominant hand to grasp
and hold tissue when suturing or dissecting
Toothed - correct answer _____________________ forceps are most often used on skin, fascia,
and other heavy tissue.
Smooth, serrated - correct answer _____________ and _______________ forceps are used on
more delicate structures, such as vascular, nervous, or bowel tissues.
examples of thumb forceps - correct answer Adson (with and without teeth), Ferris-Smith,
DeBakey, Brown, Russian, Gerald (with and without teeth), and Cushing bayonet forceps (with
and without teeth)
ratcheted grasping/holding instruments - correct answer Allis, Babcock, Kocher (Ochsner)
bone-holding clamps - correct answer typically ratcheted and are designed to hold a bone in
place for eventual pinning or plating; examples include Lane, Kern, Lowman, and Lewin
clamping/occluding instruments - correct answer designed to occlude or constrict tissue and
are constructed with opposing ring handles for fingers, ratchets located just below the ringed
handles to lock the instrument in place, and two shanks that connect the ringed handles to the
