Surgical instruments

As surgical instruments refers to instruments that were previously mainly used in surgery. Some instruments also bear the names of surgeons, including the Kocher clamp or the Overholt.

What is medical equipment?

Surgical instruments are very often used for open wounds, which is why they are mainly made of titanium, stainless steel or tantalum.

Medical cutlery fulfills a very specific purpose, which can be seen from the cut or the construction of the respective instrument. It is very often used for open wounds, so it is mainly made of titanium, stainless steel or tantalum. In the past, silver was also used for this, as it kills microorganisms and has a digodynamic effect. However, silver wears out within a very short time and corrodes relatively quickly, which leads to impairment of sterility.

In addition, nowadays mirror-smooth surfaces are no longer used, but roughened ones. Some instruments also have a golden handle, which indicates that a hard metal insert can be found in the working part, and many instruments are named after their inventor (e.g. Kocher clamp), while others are named after the intended use (e.g. dissecting scissors).

Shapes, types & types

The medical cutlery can be divided into different types. So there is the group of arresting instruments that keep wounds or body entrances open and allow access. These include spreaders, retractors, specula, retractors, and trocar sleeves.

Another group are the so-called grasping instruments with which tissue can be grasped gently. These include clamps, tweezers and grasping forceps.

The clamping instruments represent a separate subgroup, although clamps are very often assigned to the clamping instruments. They are differentiated according to their clamping force, such as the soft clamp, which is required to clamp off fine vessels. In addition, the dissection clamps, which can be used to separate structures, are also classified in this group.

There is also the group of cutting instruments such as scissors, scalpel, cautery, electrotome or ultrasonic knife and the group of suturing devices, to which all stapling devices are counted.

Structure & functionality

Medical cutlery is designed in such a way that it lies comfortably in the hand, has an ideal weight and can be easily carried. The instruments of the medical cutlery can consist of one or more parts, two-part instruments being connected to one another by springs or screws. In general, the instruments consist of the following parts:

• Rings: They are used to hold the doctor's fingers and can be different or the same size.

• Branches: The part between the end part and the ring.

• Gripping surfaces: The instrument is gripped on this part. It is mostly grooved or roughened.

• Lock or lock: A device with which the instrument can be closed.

• Mouth or working part: This part holds or grasps the tissue.

The group of retractors (stopping instruments) includes different instruments, each of which also fulfills a different function. There are various forms of retractors, such as the Fritsch hook, the Lagenbeck hook or the Roux hook, which differ in size and shape. With them, organs such as the lungs, liver, intestines or sensitive tissue are kept aside.

Specula are needed to keep body orifices such as the nose, anus or vagina open. They are often provided with a special spreading mechanism or a light source so that the doctor has sufficient visibility. Forceps and levers, such as the Verbruegge forceps or the Hohmann lever, guarantee access to a bone and are very often used in trauma surgery.

The scalpel, which can be used to cut through tissue, is also very well known. For this purpose, blades of various sizes, shapes and materials are available, the use of which depends on the point at which the cut is to be made. The blades are made of either titanium, stainless steel, stainless steel, obsidian or flint. Disposable scalpels must be properly disposed of after use. You should also be as careful as possible when changing the blade, which is particularly useful with a needle holder.

Doctors need a cautery to destroy tissue or stop bleeding. Today this instrument is mainly used as an electrocautery. This consists of a fine wire loop that is heated with the help of electricity.

The basic instruments also include tweezers with which the tissue can be grasped. A pair of tweezers consists of two halves that can be squeezed together so that the tip can be gripped in a filigree manner. When the pressure decreases, it goes back to its original position. It has a roughened grip surface on its thigh so that it lies comfortably in the hand. Surgical forceps are very sharp and have teeth that interlock when squeezed together. The number and size of the teeth can vary and depends on which tissue is to be gripped.

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Medical & health benefits

Medical cutlery includes grasping forceps, scissors, tweezers, retractors or sewing needles, all of which serve a wide variety of purposes. In this way, the doctor can hold, cut, lock or clamp with the instruments. Depending on the type of use, it must be possible to close the instruments or to fix them in a certain position.

Overall, they serve the doctor as an important aid for examinations or operations and are therefore also called "inactive medical products". Your materials must be well tolerated by the body and not have any carcinogenic or inflammatory properties. In addition, they must not cause any changes in the blood or tissue and they must not trigger any allergies.