Minor Surgery/Derm Flashcards
(227 cards)
Describe a needle driver
Blunt
Shorter/wider than forceps/hemostats
Toothed or smooth (toothed = better grip but can damage sutures)
Tungsten carbide (better grip than smooth, less damage than toothed)
Describe the difference between the types of scissors:
Iris
Metzenbaum
Bandage
Iris - fine dissection, suture removal IF no suture scissors
Metzenbaum - blunt dissection, gauze cutting
Bandage - curved tip; cuts bandage without damaging tissue underneath
Differentiate adsons forceps with and without teeth
Adsons with teeth - handling tissue
Adsons without teeth - grasping sutures, foreign bodies, picking things up steriley (do NOT use on tissue; compression injury risk)
Describe the difference between curved and straight hemostats
Curved - undermining
Straight - clamping (usually BVs)
Describe the function of the following scalpel blades
#3, #11, #15, #10
3 - disposable scalpel blade attaching to reusable handle
#11 - puncture abscesses, incisions, stabbing
#15 - blunt dissection, excision, trimming, elliptical biopsy
#10 - blunt dissection + excision on thick skin
With sutures, more zeros = ____ thread
Finer
Smaller size = less tensile strength
Explain the differences between braided and monofilament sutures
Monofilament - single thread; passes through tissue easily, less tensile strength
Braided - three threads braided, secure, easier to tie, but more likely to lead to infection
What are absorbable sutures used for? What are the different types?
Deep tissue layers
Natural - digested by body enzymes - MORE likely to cause a reaction than synthetic
Synthetic - hydrolyzed
What are the types of natural absorbable sutures?
Both are monofilament
Plain catgut - more tissue reactivity, half life 7-10 days
Chromic catgut - less tissue reactivity (chromic = salt that delays absorption), half life 2-3 weeks
What are the types of synthetic absorbable sutures?
Polyglactin (vicryl) - monofilament and braided, half life 2-3 weeks
Poly glycolic acid (dexon) - monofilament, half life 2-3 weeks
Polydioxanone (PDS) - monofilament, half life 4-6 weeks
Natural sutures are ____ likely to cause a reaction than synthetic
More
What are the types of natural non-absorbable sutures?
Silk: braided, high tissue reactivity
Polyester/polybutester: high tissue reactivity
What are the types of synthetic non-absorbable sutures?
Nylon/ethilon: monofilament, low tissue reactivity
Polypropylene/protene: monofilament
For the following area of the body, list the skin suture size and time of removal
Face/neck
5-0, 6-0
Removal in 3-5 days
For the following area of the body, list the skin suture size and time of removal
Arms/hands
4-0, 5-0
Removal in 7-10 days
For the following area of the body, list the skin suture size and time of removal
Trunk, legs, feet, scalp
3-0, 4-0
Removal in 7-14 days
High tension areas would have ____ removal times
Longer; 10-14 days
Risks of leaving sutures in too long AND taking them out too soon
Taking out too soon - dehiscence (splitting)
Leaving too long - inc risk scarring
Describe the following stitch type, including what it may be used for or risks
Simple interrupted
Can cause “railroad track” scar
Describe the following stitch type, including what it may be used for or risks
Vertical mattress
Better for everting skin edges
Good for wounds under tension
“Far far near near”
Describe the following stitch type, including what it may be used for or risks
Horizontal mattress
Used for high tension wound support
Holds fragile skin together
Distributes tension
Describe the following stitch type, including what it may be used for or risks
Deep or buried
Decreases tension in larger, deeper wounds
Knots are inverted below skin margins
Describe the following stitch type, including what it may be used for or risks
Intradermal/subcuticular running
In dermis, not visible
Better cosmetic appearance
Best in wounds with less tension
Describe the following stitch type, including what it may be used for or risks
Continuous running stitch
Not cosmetic
Less secure
Difficult to remove