AST Midterm Problem Solving Exam Questions and certified
for accuracy solutions; updated 2025/2026
When performing a rhinoplasty, the exostosis in the nose is removed with a:
A. Chisel
B. Ronguer
C. Scissors
D. Saw - correct answer A. Chisel
Which type of sterilization requires the use of the Bowie-Dick test?
A. Plasma
B. Prevacuum steam
C. EtO
D. Steris - correct answer B. Prevacuum steam
What is the first federal act to establish patient privacy standards?
A. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
B. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
C. Patient Care Partnership
D. Safe Medical Device Act - correct answer A. Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act
What should the surgical technologist wear when transporting a patient with
tuberculosis from PACU to the isolation patient room?
A. Hair cover
B. Surgical mask
C. No additional precautions necessary
D. Respirator - correct answer D. Respirator
How is the informed consent signed if a patient is illiterate?
A. Two physicians sign consent
B. Surgeon signs consent
C. Verbal consent of patient
D. Patient marks an 'x' - correct answer D. Patient marks an 'x'
Which of the following agents should not be used to disinfect endoscopes?
A. Distilled water
B. Gluteraldehyde
,C. Enzymatic solution
D. Isopropyl alcohol - correct answer D. Isopropyl alcohol
Which of the following is used to expose the meatus during urethral
catheterization?
A. Cottonball
B. Sponge stick
C. Non-dominant hand
D. Dominant hand - correct answer C. Non-dominant hand
Which of the following is the second phase of wound healing?
A. Proliferation
B. Maturation
C. Contraction
D. Lag - correct answer A. Proliferation
What muscle is commonly used for TRAM reconstruction in a mammoplasty?
A. Latissimus dorsi
B. Transverse abdominis
C. Internal oblique
D. Rectus abdominis - correct answer D. Rectus abdominis
The patient is never positioned until the:
A. Surgical technologist is scrubbed
B. Surgeon gives permission
C. Circulator gives permission
D. Anesthesia provider gives permission - correct answer D. Anesthesia
provider gives permission
What term refers to cell "drinking"?
A. Osmosis
B. Phagocytosis
C. Pinocytosis
D. Filtration - correct answer C. Pinocytosis
What does hypertension mean?
A. High blood pressure
B. Normal blood pressure
,C. No blood pressure
D. Low blood pressure - correct answer A. High blood pressure
Which type of fire extinguisher should be available when using a laser?
A. Water
B. Carbon dioxide
C. Halon
D. Dry chemical - correct answer C. Halon
What is the major side effect of thrombolytics?
A. Infection
B. Hemorrhage
C. Nausea
D. Clotting - correct answer B. Hemorrhage
If a sterile glove becomes contaminated during a procedure, what action
should the surgical technologist take?
A. Surgical technologist pulls off glove covering hand with the gown cuff;
regloves using closed technique
B. Circulator pulls off glove covering hand with gown cuff; surgical
technologist regloves using closed technique
C. Circulator pulls off glove; surgical technologist is regloved by another sterile
team member
D. Surgical technologist pulls off glove; regloves using open technique -
correct answer C. Circulator pulls off glove; surgical technologist is regloved
by another sterile team member
What type of suture technique is used to invert the stump of the appendix
during an appendectomy?
A. Purse-string
B. Continuous
C. Horizontal
D. Interrupted - correct answer A. Purse-string
Which of the following is the proper procedure for removing a laparotomy
drape?
A. Circulator holds dressings in place and removes drape
B. ST holds dressings in place; rolls drape one side to other
, C. Circulator holds dressings in place; ST rolls drape head to feet
D. ST holds dressings in place; rolls drape head to feet - correct answer D.
ST holds dressings in place; rolls drape head to feet
Gerota's fascia is located:
A. Around the kidney
B. Within the kidney
C. Within the bladder
D. Around te bladder - correct answer A. Around the kidney
What activity can aggravate the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia?
A. Typing
B. Walking
C. Chewing
D. Sitting - correct answer C. Chewing
What is the purpose of maintaining 20% to 60% relative humidity in the OR?
A. Eliminate microbial count
B. Provide comfortable environment
C. Decrease static electricity
D. Reduce room temperature - correct answer C. Decrease satic electricty
What surgical instrument is used to thread the drilled hole for the screw during
an ORIF?
A. Tap
B. Depth gauge
C. Osteotome
D. Drill bit - correct answer A. Tap
Which of the following pathology would be treated by transphenoidal
hypophysectomy procedure?
A. Pituitary neoplasm
B. Trigeminal neuralgia
C. Carotid stenosis
D. Communicating hydrocephalus - correct answer A. Pituitary neoplasm
The muscle that cause strabismus are the:
A. Orbicularis oculi
for accuracy solutions; updated 2025/2026
When performing a rhinoplasty, the exostosis in the nose is removed with a:
A. Chisel
B. Ronguer
C. Scissors
D. Saw - correct answer A. Chisel
Which type of sterilization requires the use of the Bowie-Dick test?
A. Plasma
B. Prevacuum steam
C. EtO
D. Steris - correct answer B. Prevacuum steam
What is the first federal act to establish patient privacy standards?
A. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
B. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
C. Patient Care Partnership
D. Safe Medical Device Act - correct answer A. Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act
What should the surgical technologist wear when transporting a patient with
tuberculosis from PACU to the isolation patient room?
A. Hair cover
B. Surgical mask
C. No additional precautions necessary
D. Respirator - correct answer D. Respirator
How is the informed consent signed if a patient is illiterate?
A. Two physicians sign consent
B. Surgeon signs consent
C. Verbal consent of patient
D. Patient marks an 'x' - correct answer D. Patient marks an 'x'
Which of the following agents should not be used to disinfect endoscopes?
A. Distilled water
B. Gluteraldehyde
,C. Enzymatic solution
D. Isopropyl alcohol - correct answer D. Isopropyl alcohol
Which of the following is used to expose the meatus during urethral
catheterization?
A. Cottonball
B. Sponge stick
C. Non-dominant hand
D. Dominant hand - correct answer C. Non-dominant hand
Which of the following is the second phase of wound healing?
A. Proliferation
B. Maturation
C. Contraction
D. Lag - correct answer A. Proliferation
What muscle is commonly used for TRAM reconstruction in a mammoplasty?
A. Latissimus dorsi
B. Transverse abdominis
C. Internal oblique
D. Rectus abdominis - correct answer D. Rectus abdominis
The patient is never positioned until the:
A. Surgical technologist is scrubbed
B. Surgeon gives permission
C. Circulator gives permission
D. Anesthesia provider gives permission - correct answer D. Anesthesia
provider gives permission
What term refers to cell "drinking"?
A. Osmosis
B. Phagocytosis
C. Pinocytosis
D. Filtration - correct answer C. Pinocytosis
What does hypertension mean?
A. High blood pressure
B. Normal blood pressure
,C. No blood pressure
D. Low blood pressure - correct answer A. High blood pressure
Which type of fire extinguisher should be available when using a laser?
A. Water
B. Carbon dioxide
C. Halon
D. Dry chemical - correct answer C. Halon
What is the major side effect of thrombolytics?
A. Infection
B. Hemorrhage
C. Nausea
D. Clotting - correct answer B. Hemorrhage
If a sterile glove becomes contaminated during a procedure, what action
should the surgical technologist take?
A. Surgical technologist pulls off glove covering hand with the gown cuff;
regloves using closed technique
B. Circulator pulls off glove covering hand with gown cuff; surgical
technologist regloves using closed technique
C. Circulator pulls off glove; surgical technologist is regloved by another sterile
team member
D. Surgical technologist pulls off glove; regloves using open technique -
correct answer C. Circulator pulls off glove; surgical technologist is regloved
by another sterile team member
What type of suture technique is used to invert the stump of the appendix
during an appendectomy?
A. Purse-string
B. Continuous
C. Horizontal
D. Interrupted - correct answer A. Purse-string
Which of the following is the proper procedure for removing a laparotomy
drape?
A. Circulator holds dressings in place and removes drape
B. ST holds dressings in place; rolls drape one side to other
, C. Circulator holds dressings in place; ST rolls drape head to feet
D. ST holds dressings in place; rolls drape head to feet - correct answer D.
ST holds dressings in place; rolls drape head to feet
Gerota's fascia is located:
A. Around the kidney
B. Within the kidney
C. Within the bladder
D. Around te bladder - correct answer A. Around the kidney
What activity can aggravate the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia?
A. Typing
B. Walking
C. Chewing
D. Sitting - correct answer C. Chewing
What is the purpose of maintaining 20% to 60% relative humidity in the OR?
A. Eliminate microbial count
B. Provide comfortable environment
C. Decrease static electricity
D. Reduce room temperature - correct answer C. Decrease satic electricty
What surgical instrument is used to thread the drilled hole for the screw during
an ORIF?
A. Tap
B. Depth gauge
C. Osteotome
D. Drill bit - correct answer A. Tap
Which of the following pathology would be treated by transphenoidal
hypophysectomy procedure?
A. Pituitary neoplasm
B. Trigeminal neuralgia
C. Carotid stenosis
D. Communicating hydrocephalus - correct answer A. Pituitary neoplasm
The muscle that cause strabismus are the:
A. Orbicularis oculi
