SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND COMMON

SURGICAL PROCEDURES

Categories of Instruments

INSTRUMENT USAGE

Scissors and Scalpels

Hemostats, Forceps, and Clamps

Specula, Scopes, Probes, Retractors, and Dilators

Cutting

Grasping and Clamping

Dilating and Probing

CUTTING

Disposable ScalpelUsed to cut the skin, sometimes

called a surgical knife

Surgical BladesMost common sizes are

#11, #10, and #15

#24

#22

#11

#12#15

#10

#23

#21

#13

Straight Scissors

Sharp/Sharp Blunt/Blunt

Sharp/Blunt

Curved Scissors

Sharp/Sharp

Sharp/Blunt Blunt/Blunt

Mayo Dissecting Scissors

STRAIGHT CURVED

Heavy-duty with narrowed but blunt pointed blades

Iris Scissors

STRAIGHT CURVED

Small scissors designed for fine detail

Suture Removal Scissors

STRAIGHT ANGLED

Hook-shaped point on one blade used to hook under the stitch before cutting

Bandage Scissors

LISTER SCISSORS KNOWLES SCISSORS

Designed for cutting bandages on patients without cutting the patient

GRASPINGAND

CLAMPING

Hemostat ForcepsMOSQUITO KELLY

Serrations alongthe entire tips

Serrations only alongpart of the tip

Some may have teethAll may be

straight or curved

Thumb ForcepsSometimes called “pick-ups”

Some with teeth are called tissue forceps

Ear and Nasal Forceps

HARTMAN FORCEPS ALLIGATOR FORCEPS

Bent for ease in ear and nose procedures

Sponge ForcepsUsed to hold surgical gauze

spongesMay be straight or curved

Towel Clamp Used for fixing drapes to the skin

of anesthetized patients

Needle Holder

Often called needle driversHolds needles firmly without crushing

DILATINGAND

PROBING

Specula and ScopesAre used to expose body orifices by widening for better

viewing

Vaginal Speculum

Nasal Speculum

Anoscope/Proctoscope

RetractorsWEITLANER RETRACTOR VOLKMAN RETRACTOR

Used to hook and retract the edges of a wound for better view

Self -retaining Manual

Dilators

HEGAR DILATORS PRATT DILATORS

Double-ended metal rods ranging in sizeused for gradually dilating an opening

Setting up a sterile field

Staple Removal

Wound Irrigation and Suturing

Incision and Drainage