Common Surgical Instruments and Scrubbing Procedures

Comprehensive flashcards covering common surgical instruments, suture sizing, and the official step-by-step procedure for surgical scrubbing, gowning, and gloving.

Scalpel

Used for initial incision and cutting tissue.

#10 Blade

Used primarily for making large skin incisions, such as in laparotomy.

#11 Blade

Used for making precise or sharply angled incisions.

#15 Blade

Smaller version of #10 blade used for making finer incisions.

Scissors

Used for cutting tissue, suture, or for dissection; available as straight or curved types.

Mayo Scissors

Heavy scissors available in multiple varieties for cutting heavy structures.

Straight Mayo Scissors

Specifically used for cutting suture, also known as suture scissors.

Curved Mayo Scissors

Used for cutting heavy tissue such as fascia.

Metzenbaum Scissors

Lighter scissors used for cutting delicate tissue and for blunt dissection.

Metz

Common shorthand name for Metzenbaum Scissors in practice.

Iris Scissors

Used for fine dissection and cutting fine suture; originally used for ophthalmic procedures.

Forceps

Also known as nonlocking forceps, grasping forceps, thumb forceps, or pick-ups; used for grasping tissue or objects.

Tissue Forceps

Non-toothed forceps used for fine handling of tissue and traction during dissection.

Adson Forceps

Forceps toothed at the tip used for handling dense tissue, such as in skin closures.

Bonney Forceps

Heavy forceps used for holding thick tissue, such as fascial closure.

DeBakey Forceps

Used for atraumatic tissue grasping during dissection.

Russian Forceps

Used for atraumatic tissue grasping during dissection.

Bandage Scissor

Designed for cutting bandages on patients without cutting the patient.

Suture Removal Scissor

Features a hooked shaped point on one blade used to hook under the stitch before cutting.

Hemostat Forceps

Category of forceps that includes Mosquito and Kelly types.

Ear and Nasal Forceps

Instruments bent for ease in ear and nose procedures.

Hartmann Forceps

A specific type of ear and nasal forceps.

Alligator Forceps

A specific type of ear and nasal forceps.

Sponge Forceps

Used to hold surgical gauze sponges.

Clamps

Also called locking forceps, these are ratcheted instruments used to hold tissue or provide hemostasis.

Crile Hemostat

An atraumatic and non-toothed clamp used to grasp tissue or vessels to be tied off.

Snap

The common practical name for a Crile Hemostat.

Kelly Clamp

Larger size variation of hemostat used for grasping larger tissues or vessels.

Kocher Clamp

A traumatic toothed clamp used to hold tissue that will be removed.

Allis Clamp

Instrument with slightly rounded jaws used for grasping intestine.

Babcock Clamp

Instrument with slightly rounded jaws used for grasping intestine.

Needle Point Types

Includes blunt point, taper point, conventional cutting, and reverse cutting.

Blunt Point Needle

A needle type used for dissecting through tissue to pass suture.

Taper Point Needle

A needle type with a specific point and body shape for tissue dissection.

Conventional Cutting Needle

A needle type used for specific surgical applications involving cutting edges.

Reverse Cutting Needle

A needle type used for specific surgical applications featuring a flipped cutting edge.

Suture Sizing Range

Available in sizes between #5 and #11-0.

Sizing Rule: Higher Numbers

Indicates larger suture diameter (e.g., #3 is larger than #2).

Sizing Rule: More Zeros

Indicates smaller suture diameter (e.g., #4-0 is smaller than #3-0).

Braided Suture

One of the two main physical constructions of suture material.

Monofilament Suture

Non-braided suture material.

Absorbable Suture

Suture material designed to be broken down by the body.

Non-absorbable Suture

Suture material designed to remain permanent or be removed manually.

Curved Needles

Used in most general surgical procedures.

Straight Needles

Used for skin and subcuticular suturing.

Skin Glue

Used for skin closures in lieu of suture based on cosmetic outcome and preference.

Staplers

Mechanical closure device used for skin in lieu of suture.

Retractors

Instruments used to hold an incision open or hold back tissues to maintain a clear surgical field.

Deaver Retractor

Used to hold back the abdominal wall.

Army-Navy Retractor

Used to gain exposure of skin layers.

Weitlaner Retractor

Self-retaining retractor for exposing deep or smaller surgical sites.

Wheaty

The practical nickname for a Weitlaner Retractor.

Richardson Retractor

Used to hold back deep tissue structures.

Rich

The practical nickname for a Richardson Retractor.

Bookwalter Retractor

Self-retaining retractor system anchored to the operating table.

Towel Clamp

Used for fixing drapes to the skin on anesthetized patients.

Needle Holder

Also called needle drivers; holds the needle firmly without crushing.

Specula

Instruments used to expose body orifices by widening for better view.

Vagina Speculum

A specific type of specula used to expose the vaginal canal.

Nasal Speculum

A specific type of specula used to widen and view nasal passages.

Anoscope

A scope used to view the anal canal.

#12 Blade

A specific curved blade used for surgical procedures.

#20 Blade

A large blade type used for major incisions.

Eye of Needle Size

Measured at $2\,mm$ in specific surgical contexts.

TAPER POINT Symbol

A circle used to represent a specific needle point type.

BLUNT TAPER POINT Symbol

A circle containing a central dot.

CUTTING EDGE Symbol

A triangle pointing upwards.

REVERSE CUTTING EDGE Symbol

A triangle pointing downwards.

TAPERCUT Symbol

A circle containing a symbol representing a combination point.

MICRO-POINT Symbol

A specialized symbol for very fine surgical needles.

SPATULA CURVED Symbol

A flattened trapezoid symbol for specific needle body shapes.

Bare Below the Elbows

Preparation requirement for scrubbing, including removing watches and rings.

Theatre Hat

Required headwear for the operating room; hair must be tied up.

Surgical Mask and Eyewear

Items that must be adjusted for comfort before scrubbing because they cannot be touched after.

Povidone Iodine

One of the antimicrobial solutions used for surgical scrubbing.

Chlorhexidine

A non-irritating antimicrobial solution used for surgical scrubbing.

Alcohol Gel

Dispensable cleanser used between short, clean procedures in some hospitals.

Pre-scrub Wash Part 1

Running the tap to an adequate temperature and flow to avoid splashing.

Pre-scrub Wash Part 2

Opening the nail brush/scrub sponge package and lying it on the back of the sink.

Pre-scrub Wash Part 3

Wet hands and arms then work up a heavy lather to the elbows.

Pre-scrub Wash Part 4

Rinsing hands and arms thoroughly from hands to elbows.

Nail Pick

Used to clean under nails and then discarded in a bin using a foot-pedal.

Nail Brush Bristle Side

Used to scrub the spaces under the fingernails of both hands.

Nail Brush Sponge Side

Used to lather the fingertips and wash all four sides of the fingers.

Scrub Step 1

Apply antimicrobial solution and work into hands palm to palm to create a lather.

Scrub Step 2

Rub the right palm over the back of the left hand and vice versa with fingers interlaced.

Scrub Step 3

Rub hands palm to palm with fingers interlaced.

Scrub Step 4

Perform rotational rubbing backwards and forwards with clasped fingers.

Scrub Step 5

Perform rotational rubbing of the right thumb clasped in the left hand and vice versa.

Scrub Step 6

Rub the fingertips of the left hand on the palm of the right hand and vice versa.

Scrub Step 7

Continue rotating action down opposing arms working to just below the elbows.

Scrub Step 8

Rinse and repeat; second wash covers only two-thirds of forearms.

Initial Scrub Duration

The first scrub procedure of the day should last for $5\,minutes$.

Subsequent Scrub Duration

Further scrubs during the same day should last for $3\,minutes$.

Scrub Step 9

Rinse from fingertips to elbows and turn tap off with the elbow.

Scrub Step 10

Pick up a hand towel from the gown pack, step back, and open it fully without touching unsterile objects.

Scrub Step 11

Dry fingers and arms using a blotting rotational motion moving from hands to elbows.

Standard Drying Rule

Do not retrace from the forearm back up to the hands while drying to avoid contamination.

Gowning Step 1

Pick up the entire folded gown by grasping the inside top layer through all layers.

Gowning Step 2

Securely pinch the gown slots, step back, and allow the gown to drop.