Medical Procedures

Question 1

What is an atherectomy?

Answer 1

a surgery similar to an angioplasty but is used to shave away plaque from an artery to increase blood flow

Question 2

What is an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator?

Answer 2

A device similiar to a pace-maker than monitors the heart rhythm and provides a shock to restore normal heart rhythm when necessary

Question 3

What is a balloon angioplasty?

Answer 3

a procedure where a small balloon tipped catheter is temporarily placed in a narrowed artery and expanded to increase arterial blood flow in the area and is usually combined with the implantation of a stent to prop open the artery

Question 4

what is a balloon valvuloplasty?

Answer 4

a catheter with a balloon tip is threaded to a narrow valve and inflated to open the narrowed valve

Question 5

What is a cardiac pacemaker?

Answer 5

surgically implanted device that treat for conditions affecting the electrical conduction system including a slow heart rate and arrythmias

Question 6

What is cardioversion?

Answer 6

electrical shocks administered to the heart to restore normal heart rhythm for tachyarrythmias that do not respond to medication via a defibrillator

Question 7

What is a coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG)?

Answer 7

a surgery to revascularize the myocardium after a cardiac artery is blocked or narrowed by rerouting the blood around the affected artery using the saphenous vein, internal thoracic/mammary artery, or radial artery

Question 8

What is an Enhanced Extracorporeal Counterpulsation procedure (EECP)?

Answer 8

a noninvasive procedure where the veins of the lower extremities are compressed via cuffs to aid with venous return to the heart

Question 9

What is an Intra-Aortic Balloon Counterpulsation procedure (IABP)?

Answer 9

inflation and deflation of a balloon surgically placed in the aorta providing circulatory assistance for patients after infarction or with cardiogenic shock

Question 10

What are ventricular assist devices?

Answer 10

devices that provides support of the ventricles by bypassing blood from the atrium to the corresponding semi-lunar valve (i.e the right atrium to the pulmonary artery, thus bypassing the right ventricle)

Question 11

What are ventricular assist devices commonly used for?

Answer 11

temporary treatment for people waiting for a heart transplant and increasingly as a permanent treatment for heart failure.

Question 12

What does each code of the NBG pacemaker code correspond with?

Answer 12

1: chamber paced (ventricle, atrium, dual or none)
2: Chamber sensed (ventricle, atrium, dual or none)
3: Response sensed (triggered, inhibited, dual, none)
4: rate modulation (rate modulation or none)
5: multi-site pacing (ventricle, atrium, dual or none)

Question 13

What is an airway adjunct?

Answer 13

a variety of devices that are used to maintain or protect the airway, promote airway clearance, or provide mechanical ventilation

Question 14

What does the airway adjunct for the oral pharyngeal airway do?

Answer 14

fits into the soft palate curvature to hold the tongue away from the back of the throat and maintain patency of the airway

Question 15

What does the airway adjunct for the nasal pharyngeal airway do?

Answer 15

a tube inserted into the nose to allow nasotracheal suctioning

Question 16

What does an endotracheal tube airway adjunct do?

Answer 16

provide an airway and allow for mechanical ventilation by inserting a tube down a patients trachea from the mouth or nose

Question 17

What is a tracheostomy tube?

Answer 17

an artificial airway in a patient’s neck below the vocal cords for patients needing prolonged mechanical ventilation

Question 18

What is a bullectomy?

Answer 18

a surgical procedure in which one or more of the large air spaces called bullae that form when the alveoli are destroyed by emphysema are removed to improve breathing

Question 19

What is a lobectomy?

Answer 19

surgical removal of a lobe of one lung

Question 20

What is lung volume reduction surgery?

Answer 20

a procedure in which a portion of damaged lung tissue by emphysema is removed to allow for more movement of healthy lung tissue in order to improve breathing

Question 21

When is oxygen therapy indicated for patients?

Answer 21

treatment of acute and chronic hypoxemia in patients with a PaO2 under 55 mm HG or an O2 saturation under 88% while seated at rest

PaO2 of 56 to 59 mm Hg or O2 saturation of 89% in the presence of cor pulmonale or polycythemia

Question 22

What is a thoracotomy?

Answer 22

a surgical procedure in which an incision is made in the chest wall to access the heart, great vessels, lungs, esophagus, and diaphragm for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes

Question 23

What are the two main indications for a tracheostomy?

Answer 23

airways obstruction at or above the level of the larynx and respiratory failure requiring prolong mechanical ventilation