Mastering Veterinary Surgical Equipment

Surgical Instruments

• Stainless steel instruments are the most common and resistant to corrosion.

Scalpels in Surgery

• The main function of scalpels in surgery is to make precise cuts and incisions.
• It's generally considered poor practice to cut skin with scissors as it can cause uneven edges and jagged cuts.

Handling Delicate Tissues

• Non-reflective instruments are used to handle delicate tissues and reduce glare from operating lights.

Surgical Challenges

• Obtaining adequate exposure is an important aspect of surgery that can be quite difficult to obtain in general practice.

Types of Retractors

• Right-angled retractors are often placed in pairs at right angles.
• Rake retractors can gradually retract ribs.
• Toothed retractors are less prone to swiveling due to multiple teeth.
• Self-retaining retractors are used for clamping surgical drapes.

Scalpel Blades

• The #11 scalpel blade is used for stab incisions into hollow viscera such as the bladder or stomach.
• A scalpel handle is used to place scalpel blades on the handle rather than fingers to prevent injury.

Scissors in Surgery

• Suture scissors are used to cut sutures.
• Tungsten carbide implants in scissors improve their durability and cutting ability.
• Scissors are typically held with a pair of fingers in each hole for increased stability.

Types of Forceps

• Thumb forceps are commonly used for manipulating or moving something out of the way that is not going back into the patient.
• Adson forceps have a triangular shape at the end with longitudinal striations and are usually used for something going back into the patient.
• Babcock forceps are commonly used to manipulate bowel and are atraumatic.
• DeBakey forceps are designed for vascular use and are the least traumatic of the thumb forceps.