NHA Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)Clinical Patient CareHard
A medical assistant is preparing to assist with a minor surgical procedure. The physician asks for a sterile solution to clean the wound during the procedure. Which of the following solutions should the MA anticipate providing?
- AIsopropyl alcohol
- BNormal saline
- CPovidone-iodine
- DHydrogen peroxide
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Normal saline
Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) is the most commonly used and safest sterile solution for irrigating and cleaning wounds during surgical procedures. It is isotonic, non-toxic to tissues, and does not interfere with the healing process.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Isopropyl alcohol is an antiseptic for skin, but it is highly irritating and cytotoxic to open wounds and should never be used for wound irrigation.
- C. Povidone-iodine is an antiseptic used for skin preparation before surgery, but it is not typically used for direct irrigation of an open wound during the procedure due to potential tissue toxicity.
- D. Hydrogen peroxide can be cytotoxic to healthy tissue and is generally not recommended for routine wound irrigation during surgery.
Intraoperative Wound Irrigation
Sterile solutions used to cleanse surgical wounds during a procedure to remove debris and reduce bacterial count.
- Normal saline preferred.
- Isotonic to tissues.
- Minimizes tissue damage.
Memory trick: Wound Wash: Saline is Safe, Others are Suspect.