surgical care

Abrasion

Blood oozes from ruptured capillaries result in skinned knees and elbows

Abscess

Collection of pus in a cavity surrounded by inflamed tissue

Abscess needle

Used to withdraw fluid or pus from cyst

Alligator forceps

Inserted into speculum to remove objects from ear or nose

Anoscope

Endoscope used to visualize the superficial rectum

Bandage

Strip of woven material used to wrap/cover part of the body

Bandage scissors

Inserted beneath a bandage to cut for removal, flat blunt prow to protect skin from puncture

Bayonet forceps

Crooked thumb forceps used primarily to remove foreign bodies from ear/nose

Biopsy

Removal/examination of tissue from the living body

Biopsy needle

Used to obtain a core of tissue for microscopic examination

Blunt blunt

Both tips blunt

Blunt sharp

One tip blunt, the other sharp

Bronchoscope

Endoscope used to visualize the larynx, trachea and bronchi

Chromic surgical gut

Slow absorption

Circular turn

Applied to body part of uniform width

Closed wounds

Injury to underlying tissues without break in skin

Clostridium tetani

Grow best in warm anaerobic environment like puncture

Contusion

Tissue under the skin is injured often caused by blunt object, greenish-yellow

Curette

Spoon shaped used to remove material from the wall of a cavity

Cystoscope

Endoscope used to visualize urinary bladder

Deep incision

Accompanied by profuse bleeding, may damage muscles, nerves

Dilator

Used to dilate ducts and body cavities

Directors

Instrument often grooved used to guide the direction/depth of surgical incision

Dissecting scissors

Thick blade with fine cutting edge used to divide tissue

Dressing forceps

Dressing application and removal

Dressing function

Protect wound from contamination and trauma

Ear curette

Handle with a metal loop at end to scrape accumulated cerumen from ear

Ear speculum

Cone shaped plastic tip that directs the light of an otoscope

Endoscopes

Hollow cylindrical instrument which may contain light source to visualize interior of body cavity

Epinephrine

Prolongs effect of anesthetic and decreases rate of systemic absorption

Exudate

Drainage material that has escaped from blood vessel

Eyed needle

Has eye through which suture is inserted

Fingernail drill

Used to perforate injured nail when blood clot makes drainage release necessary

Forceps

2-pronged instruments for grasping/squeezing

Furuncle (boil)

Localized staphylococcal infection originated deep within hair follicle

Gauge

Refers to diameter of suture

Hemostatic forceps

Also known as hemostats, used to clamp off blood vessels

Incision

Clean smooth cut caused by a sharp instrument

Kelly hemostatic forceps

Laceration

Tissues are torn apart leaving ragged and irregular edges

Laparoscope

Used to visualize the peritoneal cavity

Laryngeal mirror

Small round mirror situated at end of long handle to visualize larynx similar to dental mirror

Mosquito hemostatic forceps

Small

Nasal speculum

Instrument used to open the nares

Needle holder

Also known as driver, used to grasp a curved needle firmly to insert through skin flaps of incision

Obturator

Instrument that fits inside a scope and protrudes forward to guide scope into canal

Open wounds

Break in skin surface exposing underlying tissue

Operating scissors

Straight delicate blades with sharp cutting edge used to cut through tissue

Otoscope

Endoscope to visualize external and middle ear

Pelvimeter

Caliper-like used to measure female pelvis to determine adequacy of pelvic basin

Phase 1 inflammation

Lasts 3-4 days, begins as soon as body is injured, protective response of body to trauma, purpose to destroy invading microorganisms

Phase 2 granulation

Lasts 4-20 days, fibroblasts migrate to wound begin to synthesize collagen

Phase 3 maturation

Can last up to 2 years, collagen continues to be synthesized

Plain surgical gut

Rapid absorption

Probes

Long slender instruments used to explore wounds or body cavities

Proctoscope

Endoscope used to visualize rectum

Puncture

Wound made by sharp pointed object piercing skin layers

Purosanguineous exudate

Pus and blood, often found in infected wounds

Purulent exudate

Contains pus, usually this and white in color

Pus

Consists of leukocytes, dead and living bacteria

Ratchet

Toothed clasps on handle

Retractors

Used to hold tissue aside to improve exposure of operative area

Rochester-pean hemostatic forceps

Large

Sanguineous exudate

Appears red and consists of red blood cells, results when capillaries are damaged

Scalpel

Surgical knives used to make incisions

Scissors

Used primarily to cut tissue and sutures

Scrap injury

Outer layers of skin are scraped or rubbed off

Sebaceous cyst

Thin closed sac that contains secretions from gland

Serosanguineous exudate

Clear and blood-tinged drainage

Serous exudate

Consists of serum, appears clear and watery

Sharp sharp

Both tips sharp

Sigmoidoscope

Endoscope used to visualize sigmoid colon

Snares

Instrument holding sharp wire loop used to remove polyps

Sound

Long slender instrument introduced into a body passage to dilate strictures

Specula

Instrument having two blades that when extended widens an orifice or cavity

Spiral turn

Applied to body part of uniform circumference

Splinter forceps

Fine sharply pointed thumb forceps designed to grasp foreign bodies in skin/under nails

Sponge forceps

Large, serrated rings on the tips for holding sponges

Spring handle

Provides proper tension for grasping tissue

Sterilizer forceps

Also known as transfer forceps, large used to remove sterile objects from containers

Suppuration

Process of pus formation

Surgical asepsis

Sterile technique practices that ensure items/areas are free of all microorganisms

Surgical gut

Made from submucosa of cow intestines

Suture scissors

Used to remove sutures, hook on tip, blunt end

Sutures purpose

Approximates edges of wound with surgical stitches, holds in place until proper healing occurs

Swaged needle

Suture and needle are one continuous unit

Tenaculum

Hook-like instrument used to grasp/hold body parts

Thumb forceps

Tweezer-like instruments that are used to grasp tissue and other sterile objects

Tissue forceps

Tweezer-like forceps with claw-like teeth to grasp

Towel clamp

Forcep-like instrument used as clamps to secure cloth drapes together

Trocar

Sharply pointed instrument that fits into cannula used to puncture into body cavities

Uterine curette

Sharp spoon shaped used to scrape cells from cervix for pap tests

Uterine sound

Used to dilate the cervix to facilitate insertion of uterine curette

Uterine tenaculum

Used to grasp/hold cervix

Vaginal speculum

Instrument used for opening/exposing interior of vaginal canal for proper visualization

Wounds

Break in the continuity of tissue internal/external