Surgical Tech Practice Exam 2025 - Free Surgical Tech Practice Questions and Study Guide

The correct answer is threading. This surgical step involves creating internal threads in a drilled hole, allowing a screw to be securely anchored in place. After drilling a hole for the screw placement, threading is performed to ensure that the screw can engage effectively with the material, typically bone or another substrate in orthopedic procedures. This step is essential for the stability and support required during the healing process.

In contrast, the other terms refer to different aspects of the surgical procedure. Reaming refers to enlarging or smoothing the drilled hole, which prepares it for screw insertion but does not create threads. Drilling is the act of creating the initial hole itself but does not involve any preparation for screw engagement. Tapping is closely related to threading in that it creates a path for screws, but it is specifically about making external threads on a screw itself rather than creating internal threads in the hole. Understanding these distinctions helps in grasping the correct sequence of surgical events and their purposes in orthopedic surgery.