Surgical Instrument Categories

Study Notes

Surgical Instrument Categories

Clamping and Occluding: These instruments compress or close blood vessels or hollow organs, for hemostasis (stopping bleeding) or occlusion (blocking an opening).
- Examples include Crile hemostatic forceps and tube occluding clamps.
Cutting and Dissecting: These instruments separate or incise, dissect or excise soft or compact tissue.
- Examples include scalpels, Iris scissors and curettes.
Grasping and Holding: Instruments designed to grip, manipulate, and stabilize body tissues.
- They also may be used to extract foreign bodies.
- Examples include Allis tissue forceps, and Backhaus towel clamps.
Dilating and Probing: These instruments probe, expand, examine, or create an anatomic passage.
- They may be used to enlarge or open a stricture (narrowed passage) or introduce another instrument.
- Examples include uterine dilator, mini-dilators/OS finders, and probes with eyes.
Exposing and Retracting: Designed to pull aside or hold back wound edges and other tissues, gaining access to the surgical site.
- These are usually called "retractors" with blunt "blades" that may be curved or angled, or with sharp or dull prongs.
- They vary in size, and some come in a variety of shapes, lengths and widths depending on functional needs.
- Examples include: bone hooks, Volkman retractors, and Zalkind retractors.
Aspirating and Suctioning: Used to remove blood, other fluids, and debris from the operating site.
- These instruments are hollow tipped and come in a variety of sizes and shapes for ease of access.
- Examples include: cannulas, aspiration suction tubes.
Stapling and Suturing: Align, secure, and approximate the edges of soft or compact tissue for healing.
- They may employ implants like sutures, staples, clips, wires, or screws.
- Examples include: needle holders, suture needles, and terminal end staplers.
Viewing: Allow the practitioner to illuminate a cavity or structure.
- Examples include endoscopes, nasal specula, and lighted vaginal specula.

Accessories

Accessories are important tools that don't fit into the main categories but are crucial for specific surgical procedures.
- Examples include mallets, harmonic scalpels, and guide pins.

Description

This quiz explores the various categories of surgical instruments used in medical procedures. It covers clamping, cutting, grasping, dilating, and probing instruments, providing examples and their applications. Test your knowledge on the essential tools that aid in surgical operations and their specific functions.