There are many types of surgical orthopedic instruments, very different
and used for a wide range of interventions.
Cutting instruments
- Scalpel – it is the most popular tool used for cutting tissue. It consists of a handle and a blade attached to the handle. The handle can be made of metal (reusable) or plastic (disposable). The scalpel blade is for single use and is made of surgical steel.
- Scissors - are used for cutting tissues, sutures, bandages, but also for dissection
- Curette - is shaped like a spoon with sharp edges and is used for scraping tissues (e.g. for scraping necrotic tissue)
- Saw - it is used less rarely, for cutting bones
- Chisel – also used for bone cutting, less commonly in general surgery, more often in other surgical specialties (orthopedics, neurosurgery)
Tissue attachment and
presentation instruments
- Anatomical and surgical tweezers - are the most used tools for tissue manipulation. They are also used for catching and presenting fine structures (serous, vessels, intestine).
- Auto static pliers - they have a locking mechanism that secures them on the tissues.
Exposure instruments
(separators) - are used to remove tissue/ organs and expose those that will
be subject to the surgical intervention
Hagedorn needles and
other special needles
Tools for
electrosurgery (electrocautery)
