Surgical Exercises Test #2 Review: Suturing, Instruments, and Anesthesia

Comprehensive vocabulary review flashcards for Surgical Exercises Test #2 covering Lab 2 (Suturing and Surgical Instruments) and Lab 3 (Anesthetic Machines, Breathing Circuits, and Endotracheal Intubation).

Absorbable Suture Material

Suture material that is slowly degraded, absorbed by the body, and excreted through the kidneys when left in tissues (used for most internal closures).

Non-absorbable Suture Material

Suture material that is not degraded or absorbed by the body, remaining permanently in tissue unless manually removed (typically removed at $7\text{--}14\,\text{days}$).

Monofilament Suture

Suture material constructed from a single continuous strand, preventing bacteria from traveling along crevices and causing less tissue trauma and friction.

Braided Suture

A multi-filament suture weave that contains tiny gaps and crevices capable of harboring bacteria and facilitating bacterial transit along its strand.

Capillary Action (Wicking)

The extent to which a suture draws tissue fluids, moisture, or bacteria along its length through tiny spaces or channels, facilitating bacterial transmission.

Catgut Suture

A non-synthetic absorbable suture made from the submucosal layer of sheep intestine that exhibits high capillary action, absorbs water, and swells.

Silk Suture

A suture material that exhibits pronounced capillary action, drawing moisture and bacteria along its length.

Monocryl

A synthetic monofilament absorbable suture material recommended to prevent suture reactions.

PDS (Polydioxanone)

A synthetic monofilament absorbable suture used to minimize tissue reaction and bacterial wicking.

Suture Reaction

A tissue complication presenting as a large swelling over an incision line that may resemble a hernia, caused by inflammation against the suture material.

E-collar (Elizabethan Collar)

A protective cone placed on an animal to block licking of surgical incisions, preventing suture reactions and premature suture removal.

Burying Knots

The surgical technique of placing knots deep beneath the tissue surface without over-tightening to reduce the likelihood of suture reactions.

Swaged-on Needle

An eyeless needle pre-fused directly to the suture material, ensuring optimal sharpness and less tissue trauma, but at a higher cost than reusable needles.

Unattached (Reusable) Needle

A separate needle requiring manual threading of suture material through an eye, which can cause increased tissue damage if used improperly.

USP (United States Pharmacopeia)

The standardized sizing designation system for sutures where larger numbers denote thicker strands and increasing zeros indicate progressively thinner strands.

USP Suture Sizing Progression

The standard gauge hierarchy running from thickest to thinnest: $2$, $1$, $0$, $2\text{-}0$, $3\text{-}0$, $4\text{-}0$, $5\text{-}0$.

Small Animal Suture Sizing

Suture gauge sizes typically selected for most surgical procedures in small animals, specifically $2\text{-}0$ or $3\text{-}0$.

Large Animal Suture Sizing

Suture gauge sizes typically selected for large animal surgery, specifically $2$, $1$, or $0$.

3-0 Suture

A moderately thin strand ("three-ought") used for routine skin and organ closures in cats (e.g., intestinal surgery) and small-to-medium dogs.

Suture Packet Construction Label

Package information identifying whether the strand is monofilament, braided, or twisted.

Suture Packet Needle Silhouette

An outline or drawing printed on the suture foil packet showing the exact curvature and shape of the enclosed needle.

Suture Packet Needle Cutting Pattern

A diagrammatic symbol printed on the package showing the needle point cross-section (e.g., cutting, reverse cutting, or taper).

Suture-Induced Fistula

A chronic draining tract that can develop in tissue if any portion of a non-absorbable suture is left behind inside the animal during removal.

Skin Suture Removal Procedure

The technique of lifting the suture, cutting directly to one side of the knot without cutting through it, and gently pulling the exposed strand out.

Tissue Glue (Surgical Adhesive)

A chemical adhesive used to appose skin edges when the surgical site is completely dry (no bleeding) and under minimal tension.

Canine Castration (Tissue Glue Indication)

A surgical procedure where tissue glue may be applied to appose scrotal/prescrotal skin edges provided there is no bleeding and low tension.

Feline Declaw (Tissue Glue Indication)

A surgery where tissue glue is routinely used for skin closure on the digits in the absence of active hemorrhage and tension.

Cutting Point Needle

A needle tip engineered to cut through dense structures like skin, cartilage, and tendons; traumatic to tissue and available in triangular, reverse, or side cutting formats.

Tapered (Noncutting) Point Needle

A needle with a round or oval shaft that pierces without cutting, used for delicate tissues that tear easily (e.g., bladder and intestinal wall).

Simple Interrupted Suture Pattern

An individual, isolated stitch pattern that functions as a fundamental building block closure and can be placed in any tissue layer.

Simple Continuous Suture Pattern

A running series of uninterrupted loops that is quick to place and uses minimal material, but risks opening the entire wound if the knot or strand fails.

Ford Interlocking Suture Pattern

A modified continuous suture pattern where each loop is interlocked with the previous one, used primarily for skin closure in large animals.

Horizontal Mattress Suture Pattern

A suture pattern consisting of two passes through the skin in a single stitch, being faster to place and utilizing less suture material.

Skin Suture Spacing

The standard distance required between adjacent skin sutures, which is $\frac{1}{2}\,\text{inch}$.

Suture Distance from Tissue Edge

The recommended bite distance for skin sutures, placed $\frac{1}{2}\,\text{inch}$ away from the wound margin to prevent pulling or tearing through.

Steam Sterilization Mechanism

The physical process in which heat generated by steam under pressure coagulates cellular proteins in bacteria and microbial spores.

Standard Autoclave Parameters

The conventional steam sterilization cycle requiring $15\,\text{minutes}$ of exposure at $121^\circ\text{C}$.

Emergency (Flash) Sterilization Parameters

An urgent autoclave cycle for unwrapped items consisting of $3\,\text{minutes}$ at $121^\circ\text{C}$ ($250^\circ\text{F}$).

UGRC Large Autoclave Cycle

A facility-specific sterilization protocol requiring $45\,\text{minutes}$ of steam exposure followed by $60\,\text{minutes}$ of drying time.

Autoclave Solid-Bottom Pan Placement

The practice of placing solid-bottom pans or trays vertically on their edges in the autoclave to facilitate steam circulation and drainage.

Autoclave Pack Placement

Positioning wrapped surgical packs on their edges so steam can penetrate between items and flow downward unobstructed.

Sharp Instrument Autoclave Position

The required orientation of sharp surgical instruments, which must be autoclaved in a closed position to protect delicate edges.

Hinged Non-Sharp Instrument Autoclave Position

The standard orientation of hinged or ratcheted instruments, which must be autoclaved open so steam can contact all box locks and surfaces.

Pre-Autoclave Instrument Cleaning

The essential removal of dried blood and biological debris from instruments before autoclaving, without which steam penetration and sterilization fail.

Ultrasonic Cleaning

An automated cleaning process that removes tiny debris and microbes from instruments using mechanical energy generated by acoustic vibrations.

Cavitation (Ultrasonic Cleaner)

The mechanical phenomenon involving the formation, expansion, and rapid collapse of microscopic air bubbles in cleaning solution to dislodge contaminants.

Ultrasonic Cleaning Relative Efficacy

A measure of cleaning performance indicating that ultrasonic cleaning is $16\,\text{times}$ more effective than manual scrubbing.

Instrument Milk

A lubricating emulsion applied to surgical instruments to inhibit rust, improve movement, and restore lubricants stripped away by ultrasonic cleaning.

Instrument Milk Protocol

Soaking cleaned instruments in lubricant solution for $5\,\text{minutes}$ before removing to air dry, strictly without rinsing.

Sprung Instrument

A damaged surgical instrument with misaligned or sprung jaws that cannot maintain proper closure and must be discarded.

Needle Holder Grip Test

A functional check where a needle is clamped in the jaws and twisted by hand; if the needle slips or rotates, the needle holder requires repair.

Surgical Scissors Sharpness Standard

The quality benchmark requiring that all functional surgical scissors cut cleanly through $4\,\text{layers}$ of gauze all the way to their tips.

Passing Sharp Surgical Instruments

The surgical protocol requiring that all sharp instruments and towel clamps be handed to the surgeon in a closed and locked position.

Passing Non-Sharp Hinged Instruments

The surgical protocol requiring that general, non-sharp hinged instruments be handed to the surgeon in an open configuration.

Passing Curved Surgical Instruments

The technique of passing curved tools with the tips curving upward and the handle/rings placed firmly into the surgeon's palm.

Mayo-Hegar Needle Holder

A dedicated needle driver featuring crisscross serrated jaws designed exclusively for grasping needles, lacking built-in cutting blades.

Hegar-Olsen Needle Holder

A dual-purpose surgical instrument that integrates crisscross needle-grasping jaws with built-in scissor blades behind the hinges to cut sutures.

Crisscross Grooves (Needle Holders)

The cross-hatched serrations machined into the tungsten carbide or steel jaws of needle drivers to prevent needle rotation during suturing.

Flow Meter (Anesthetic Machine)

A flow control assembly that reduces gas pressure from the tank line ($50\,\text{PSI}$) down to operational pressure ($15\,\text{PSI}$) and regulates oxygen in $\text{L/min}$.

Ball Flow Meter Reading Point

The correct reference point for reading oxygen delivery on a ball-type flow meter, taken exactly across the center of the ball.

Float Flow Meter Reading Point

The correct reference point for reading oxygen delivery on a skirted float flow meter, taken across the top flat edge of the float.

Minimum Oxygen Flow Rate

The baseline safe metabolic oxygen requirement delivered through an anesthetic machine, calculated at $30\,\text{ml/kg}$.

Anesthetic Vaporizer

A calibrated component that holds liquid volatile anesthetic and vaporizes it into a carrier stream of oxygen based on a dialed percentage.

Fresh Gas

The carrier oxygen gas after it has passed through the vaporizer and is loaded with vaporized volatile anesthetic ready for the patient.

Rebreathing Circuit

A closed or semi-closed breathing system where exhaled air is cleaned of carbon dioxide by a chemical canister and recirculated to patients over $7\,\text{kg}$.

Rebreathing Weight Threshold

The patient body weight criterion requiring an animal to exceed $7\,\text{kg}$ to possess adequate tidal effort for a rebreathing system.

Circle Y Circuit

A standard configuration of a rebreathing anesthetic circuit featuring two corrugated breathing tubes joined at a Y-piece.

Circle F Circuit

A specialized configuration of a rebreathing anesthetic breathing system.

Non-Rebreathing Circuit

An open breathing system that delivers fresh gas straight from the vaporizer to the patient without unidirectional flutter valves or carbon dioxide absorption.

Bain Circuit (Brans)

A coaxial non-rebreathing circuit used at UGRC (and often used as a synonym for non-rebreathing circuits) featuring an inner fresh gas tube inside an outer expiratory tube.

Mapleson Circuits (A-D)

A standardized scientific classification system describing different configurations of non-rebreathing anesthetic circuits.

Jackson Reese Circuit

A specific type of non-rebreathing anesthetic circuit utilizing an open reservoir bag with an adjustable relief valve.

Patient Respiratory Limitation Under 7 kg

The physiological reason non-rebreathing systems are used in patients under $7\,\text{kg}$, who lack the lung strength to move gas through soda lime canisters.

Soda Lime Canister

A chemical filtration vessel containing soda lime crystals that trap expired carbon dioxide in a rebreathing system.

Soda Lime Color Indicator

A visible pH-sensitive change where $\frac{1}{2}\text{ to }\frac{1}{3}$ of the absorbent granules turn violet/purple upon exhaustion.

Soda Lime Physical Texture Change

A physical change wherein active soft soda lime granules become hard, brittle, and non-absorbent when spent.

Soda Lime Canister Labeling Protocol

The clinical requirement to record the date of replacement and the initials of the technician directly onto the canister.

Rebreathing Bag Size Formula

The mathematical calculation used to size a reservoir bag, defined as $60\text{--}100\,\text{ml/kg}$ of patient body weight.

Reservoir Bag Selection Rule

The procedural guideline dictating that if a patient's calculated reservoir bag volume falls between standard sizes, select the size closest to the higher end.

Maximum Feline Bagging Pressure

The absolute maximum safe peak inspiratory pressure when manually ventilating a cat, which must never exceed $15\,\text{cm H}_2\text{O}$.

Maximum Canine Bagging Pressure

The absolute maximum safe peak inspiratory pressure when manually ventilating a dog, which must never exceed $20\,\text{cm H}_2\text{O}$.

Anesthetic Machine Leak Test Target Pressure

The operational pressure range of $20\text{--}30\,\text{cm H}_2\text{O}$ that an assembled anesthetic system must achieve and maintain during a leak check.

Anesthetic Leak Test Permissible Drop Rate

The maximum acceptable pressure loss during a system leak test, defined as no more than $10\%$ over a $15\,\text{second}$ interval.

Anesthetic Machine Leak Test Procedure

Closing the pop-off valve, blocking the breathing tube tip, pressing the oxygen flush until the manometer reaches $20\text{--}30\,\text{cm H}_2\text{O}$, holding $15\,\text{seconds}$, then opening the valve.

Anesthetic Leak Test Frequency

The mandatory schedule for performing a machine leak test, required every time an anesthetic machine is set up for a patient.

Reservoir Bag Leak Cause

A common origin of low-pressure system leaks resulting from punctures, rips, or micro-holes in the rubber breathing bag.

Bain Circuit Nipple Leak

A source of system failure occurring when the delicate seal around the fresh gas inlet nipple of a Bain circuit is fractured or degraded.

O-Ring Seal Leak Cause

A frequent cause of anesthetic gas loss where rubber O-rings or washers are missing, dried, cracked, or improperly seated in their housings.

Pop-Off Valve

An adjustable exhaust valve that directs expired gas into the scavenger when open, or diverts it back into the rebreathing circuit when closed.

Waste Gas Scavenger System

A dedicated evacuation system connected to the pop-off valve designed to collect waste anesthetic vapors and vent them safely outside the facility.

Active Scavenging System

A waste gas removal setup that relies on a dedicated mechanical vacuum pump to actively draw expired gases out of the breathing circuit.

Passive Scavenging System

A waste gas removal setup that relies solely on the patient's positive expiratory pressure and gravity to push exhaust through a duct.

Charcoal Scavenger Canister Filter

A canister containing activated carbon granules used to capture halogenated anesthetic vapors when moving a patient or in rooms without a scavenger port.

Cuffed Endotracheal (ET) Tube

An intubation tube equipped with an inflatable balloon that seals against the tracheal mucosa to prevent gas leaks, stop aspiration, and prevent room air dilution.

ET Tube Confirmation via Direct Airflow Sensation

Verifying correct tracheal intubation by feeling warm expired air on the back of the hand or seeing fine hairs move at the tube connector.

ET Tube Confirmation via Machine Monitoring

Verifying intubation by observing synchronized filling/emptying of the reservoir bag and deflection of one-way flutter valves with patient breaths.

ET Tube Confirmation via Ventral Neck Palpation

Verifying tube placement by palpating the throat to ensure only a single rigid structure (the trachea containing the tube) is felt, rather than two parallel tubes.

ET Tube Confirmation via Direct Laryngeal Visualization

The definitive placement confirmation method of visualizing the endotracheal tube passing cleanly between the vocal folds and into the glottis.

ET Tube Confirmation via Expiratory Condensation

Confirming proper airway intubation by noting moisture fogging inside the transparent lumen of the tube during expiration.

Tracheal Necrosis (Cuff Complication)

Ischemic death of tracheal mucosa caused by excessive pressure from an overinflated endotracheal cuff cutting off local microvascular perfusion.