SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS QUIZ
**1. What is the primary purpose of a scalpel?**
- **Answer:** To make precise incisions in skin and tissue.
- **Rationale:** Scalpels have sharp, removable or fixed blades
designed for cutting with minimal trauma.
**2. Which instrument is used to grasp and hold tissue or needles?**
- **Answer:** Needle holder (e.g., Halsey, Mayo-Hegar).
- **Rationale:** Needle holders have short jaws with a cross-hatched
surface to securely grip a suture needle without damaging it.
**3. What is the forked instrument used for grasping tissue like tonsils
or adenoids?**
- **Answer:** Allis forceps.
- **Rationale:** Allis forceps have teeth that interlock, providing a firm
grasp on dense tissue but can be traumatic.
**4. Which instrument is used to clamp blood vessels or absorbable
tissue before ligation?**
- **Answer:** Hemostat (mosquito or Kelly clamp).
- **Rationale:** Hemostats have serrated jaws and ratchets to occlude
vessels temporarily.
,**5. What distinguishes a Kelly clamp from a mosquito clamp?**
- **Answer:** Kelly clamps have serrations along the entire jaw, while
mosquitoes have fine, full-length serrations and are smaller.
- **Rationale:** Kellys are for slightly larger vessels; mosquitoes for
delicate, fine vessels.
**6. Name the instrument used to separate tissue layers by spreading
without cutting.**
- **Answer:** Metzenbaum scissors or Mayo dissecting scissors.
- **Rationale:** Blunt dissection spreads tissue along natural planes,
minimizing bleeding.
**7. Which scissors are best for cutting delicate tissue like
mesentery?**
- **Answer:** Metzenbaum scissors.
- **Rationale:** They have long, slender, curved or straight blades with
a blunt tip for dissecting delicate tissue.
**8. What instrument holds a surgical drape or towel in place?**
- **Answer:** Towel clamp (e.g., Backhaus, Jones).
- **Rationale:** Towel clamps penetrate drapes and skin or drapes
alone to secure sterile field boundaries.
, **9. Which instrument is used to grasp the edge of an organ or vessel
without crushing?**
- **Answer:** Babcock forceps.
- **Rationale:** Babcocks have large, fenestrated, non-traumatic jaws,
ideal for the bowel, fallopian tube, or gallbladder.
**10. What is the function of a Kocher clamp?**
- **Answer:** To grasp heavy tissue or clamp a bleeding vessel with a
traumatic grip (has teeth).
- **Rationale:** Kocher forceps have transverse serrations and one
tooth at the tip, providing strong, crushing grip.
**11. Which instrument has a spring-loaded handle and fine, pointed
tips for delicate tissue handling?**
- **Answer:** Adson forceps (with teeth or plain).
- **Rationale:** Adson forceps are used for skin closure or fine tissue
handling; the “Adson-Brown” has 1x2 teeth.
**12. What type of retractor is self-retaining and commonly used for
abdominal incisions?**
- **Answer:** Balfour retractor.
- **Rationale:** Balfour has adjustable blades and a self-retaining
ratchet, exposing the abdominal cavity.
**1. What is the primary purpose of a scalpel?**
- **Answer:** To make precise incisions in skin and tissue.
- **Rationale:** Scalpels have sharp, removable or fixed blades
designed for cutting with minimal trauma.
**2. Which instrument is used to grasp and hold tissue or needles?**
- **Answer:** Needle holder (e.g., Halsey, Mayo-Hegar).
- **Rationale:** Needle holders have short jaws with a cross-hatched
surface to securely grip a suture needle without damaging it.
**3. What is the forked instrument used for grasping tissue like tonsils
or adenoids?**
- **Answer:** Allis forceps.
- **Rationale:** Allis forceps have teeth that interlock, providing a firm
grasp on dense tissue but can be traumatic.
**4. Which instrument is used to clamp blood vessels or absorbable
tissue before ligation?**
- **Answer:** Hemostat (mosquito or Kelly clamp).
- **Rationale:** Hemostats have serrated jaws and ratchets to occlude
vessels temporarily.
,**5. What distinguishes a Kelly clamp from a mosquito clamp?**
- **Answer:** Kelly clamps have serrations along the entire jaw, while
mosquitoes have fine, full-length serrations and are smaller.
- **Rationale:** Kellys are for slightly larger vessels; mosquitoes for
delicate, fine vessels.
**6. Name the instrument used to separate tissue layers by spreading
without cutting.**
- **Answer:** Metzenbaum scissors or Mayo dissecting scissors.
- **Rationale:** Blunt dissection spreads tissue along natural planes,
minimizing bleeding.
**7. Which scissors are best for cutting delicate tissue like
mesentery?**
- **Answer:** Metzenbaum scissors.
- **Rationale:** They have long, slender, curved or straight blades with
a blunt tip for dissecting delicate tissue.
**8. What instrument holds a surgical drape or towel in place?**
- **Answer:** Towel clamp (e.g., Backhaus, Jones).
- **Rationale:** Towel clamps penetrate drapes and skin or drapes
alone to secure sterile field boundaries.
, **9. Which instrument is used to grasp the edge of an organ or vessel
without crushing?**
- **Answer:** Babcock forceps.
- **Rationale:** Babcocks have large, fenestrated, non-traumatic jaws,
ideal for the bowel, fallopian tube, or gallbladder.
**10. What is the function of a Kocher clamp?**
- **Answer:** To grasp heavy tissue or clamp a bleeding vessel with a
traumatic grip (has teeth).
- **Rationale:** Kocher forceps have transverse serrations and one
tooth at the tip, providing strong, crushing grip.
**11. Which instrument has a spring-loaded handle and fine, pointed
tips for delicate tissue handling?**
- **Answer:** Adson forceps (with teeth or plain).
- **Rationale:** Adson forceps are used for skin closure or fine tissue
handling; the “Adson-Brown” has 1x2 teeth.
**12. What type of retractor is self-retaining and commonly used for
abdominal incisions?**
- **Answer:** Balfour retractor.
- **Rationale:** Balfour has adjustable blades and a self-retaining
ratchet, exposing the abdominal cavity.
