Classification And Types Of Surgical Instruments Used In Operating Room

Devin Morgan
4 min readMay 18, 2022

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surgical instruments for operating room

Due to the rapid progress and evolution in the field of medicine and surgery, advancements have taken place among different surgical instruments that have made them suitable for complicated surgical procedures. The performance and efficiency of these tools determine the success rate of surgery. The main factors which make these instruments perform complicated surgeries efficiently in various fields of medicine are their counterparts and the body design. The counterparts of these tools may differ from each other, but their importance in surgeries cannot be ignored. The heavy-duty design of these equipment gives extra control to the user to have a tight grip on them along with protection against mechanical wear and corrosion. In the wide range of tools found in multiple fields of medicine, these equipment are used for cutting, grabbing, maneuvering, expanding, retracting, and much more. It is better to learn about these surgical equipments that are quite common to use in several surgeries before using them in a surgical procedure.

How Many Types Of Surgical Instruments Are There?

The classification of Instruments with Names is:

Cutting And Dissecting Instruments

Such sharp lacerating surgical tools are used to penetrate through anatomical structures like tissues, sinuses, bones, and other entities. These tools can lacerate multiple structures ranging from delicate tissues to dense and hard bones in orthopedic surgeries. They feature two sharp blades which work according to the nature and requirements of the surgical procedure. Some blades or tips are rounded to cut through non-biological objects like adhesive wound stripes and soft tissues. Some have pointed blades which cut open dense organs in the internal cavities and lacerate bony structures as well. The handles are powerful for all the surgeries to provide extra control on the tool.

Grasping and Handling Tools

Their name is identical to the function they are being used for in surgical procedures. Such types of equipment help the user to tightly grab the desired structure like a tissue or a bony fragment to have a better look at it while facilitating the surgical procedure. These equipment include forceps along with multiple variations, each suitable to perform a specific surgical procedure.

Clamping Instruments

The instruments which fall under this category are used to cease the blood flow in medical emergencies and also work on the vascular structures like blood vessels, including veins, and arteries, when required. They are known for their particular function that aids the user in stopping the blood loss to save the patient’s life, and among them, a particular type of forceps called hemostatic forceps is popular.

Retracting Instruments

Such stretching tools, which include retractors, help the medical operators to expand the operational field from any direction so that the surgeons can have a better look inside the cavity. The retractors disclose the hidden organs and underlying tissues for the treatment and handling without compromising the adjacent surgical site.

Improving Visualization Tools

These instruments provide a better view of the desired structures and include endoscopes and speculums. Such tools are used to highlight the dull and restricted anatomical structures and tissues that are difficult to visualize without using this surgical equipment.

Suturing Instruments

This broad category of equipment includes all the equipment that can be used for stitching and stapling purposes. Because of their features, such tools are a crucial part of a medical toolkit and are being widely used in this perspective. The stitching tools like suture scissors or bandage scissors work on the wound dressings and related activities like placing the wound stripes on the injured site and also taking them off after the healing has been completed. The staplers close the opened sides of the bandages and adhesive wound dressings when required.

Suctioning Instruments

These surgical tools effectively drain out the body fluids in different surgical procedures in the surgical procedures of orthopedic field and laparotomy. The harmful body fluids can be easily taken out from the body by using this equipment which includes drain pipes, abdominal tips, and related tools. The medical operators are using these tools in various fields, which require careful handling of such draining surgical equipment without damaging the adjacent structures as well.

Dilating Tools

The dilating tools are typically used in gynecological surgical procedures during labor. Because of their functional properties, the operator can use a dilator to expand the opening of the cervix to facilitate the labor. These dilators can also be used in terms of expanding the urethra and other counterparts of the excretory system when needed. The probes are used to explore the desired site. Such tools help the surgeons or the users to maneuver between multiple anatomical structures and analyze the situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many categories of surgical instruments are there?

There are three categories, namely cutting, grasping tools, and retractors.

What are the minor surgical tools?

The basic minor tools are scalpels, needle holders, adson forceps, and mosquito forceps.

Conclusion

GerMedUSA Inc. has been one of the best surgical instruments suppliers and manufacturers for the last three decades. Surgeons can buy the instruments of their choice for their healthcare facilities and hospitals. These instruments have innovative designs which help to make the surgeries effective and successful.

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