Surgical

An operation that makes a new path for tears from the lacrimal sac straight into the nose, bypassing a blocked nasolacrimal duct.

Wiping the OR's lights, furniture and fixed equipment with a lint-free cloth and disinfectant before the first case of the day.

A muscle relaxant that acts inside muscle cells, given by IV for malignant hyperthermia or by mouth for spasticity.

A space that does no useful work: in a wound, a gap between layers where fluid can pool; in breathing, air that never reaches gas exchange.

The removal of dead, damaged or infected tissue from a wound so it can heal.

A short team discussion at the end of an operation, before the patient leaves the room, that confirms what was done and records problems and lessons.

The walled-off dirty area of sterile processing where used instruments and equipment are received, sorted and cleaned.

An operation that strips a thick fibrous layer, a peel, off the surface of a lung so the trapped lung can expand again.

The splitting open of the edges of a wound that had been closed, such as a surgical incision.

A cream or other product that removes hair from the skin chemically, without cutting it.

A neuromuscular blocking agent that relaxes muscles by first stimulating them, then holding the muscle cells unable to respond; succinylcholine is the only one.

Drying out; in electrosurgery, contact coagulation, with the electrode touching the tissue so it dries and seals.

Heat made inside tissue by high-frequency electrical energy; in eye surgery, low-power heat applied to the sclera over a retinal tear.

A procedure that widens the cervix and then scrapes tissue from the cervical canal and the lining of the uterus.

An instrument used to stretch or widen an opening, canal or passage in the body.

Electrosurgical current passing from the active electrode into another metal object it touches or nearly touches, which then burns the tissue it is against.

Electric current that flows in one direction only, as from a battery.

To cut apart or separate tissues carefully during surgery.

A tear in the inner layer of an artery wall that lets blood split the layers apart; also, the cutting apart of tissue in surgery.

The state ketamine produces, in which the patient may look awake, with eyes open, yet is unaware and feels no pain.

In robotic surgery, moving the patient cart into place at the bedside and attaching its arms to the ports.

The place on the body from which tissue, such as skin for a graft, is taken to be moved to another site.

Lying on the back; in surgery, another name for the supine position, and in nursing care, on the back with the knees bent and feet flat.

A small device, usually a badge, that measures the ionizing radiation a person receives and adds it up over time.

Wearing two pairs of sterile gloves at once, which AST recommends for every surgical procedure.

A tube or device placed in a wound or body cavity to remove fluid, blood or air.

A sheet placed over a client, either sterile to keep an area clean around a procedure site or plain to give privacy.

Sterilizing with hot air, without moisture, for items that steam would harm or cannot reach, such as powders and oils.

The main pancreatic duct, which runs the length of the pancreas and joins the common bile duct at the ampulla of Vater.

A sealed plastic bag put over a sterile package once it is cool and dry, to protect a seldom-used pack from dust and handling.