THE NURSING STUDENT ON THE JOB

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SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS • The Basic Surgical Instruments

Cutting and Dissecting Grasping and Holding

Retracting and Exposing Clamping and Occluding

Miscellaneous

Cutting and Dissecting Instruments

These are sharp and are used to cut body tissue or surgical supplies.

Cutting and Dissecting Instruments

Scalpel Blade• 7 handle with 15 blade (deep knife) - Used to cut deep, delicate tissue.• 3 handle with 10 blade (inside knife) – Used to cut superficial tissue.

• 4 handle with 20 blade (skin knife) - Used to cut skin.

Mayo ScissorsCurved/Straight Mayo Scissors

Note: With thick ShankThese are used to cut suture materials and cutting tough tissues

#7, #3, #4(left to right)

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

MetzenbaumCurved/Straight Metzenbaum

Note: With thin Shank and curved tipsThese are used for tissue dissection and cutting delicate tissues

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Lister/Bandage ScissorsNote: the blunt tip on one edge

Used to trim bandages to custom size, to cut through clothing or gauze, and to help remove bandages that someone is wearing

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Suture Scissors

Note: Concave Edge on one SideUse in cutting sutures

a. Angled Suture Scissorsb. Straight Suture Scissors- for subcutaneous, Skin or Muscular area

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Stitch Scissors

Use only with non-absorbable sutures

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Grasping and Holding InstrumentsAre used to hold tissue, drapes or sponges

(Tissue Forceps)These are available in various lengths, with or without teeth, and smooth or serrated jaws

DeBakey Tissue ForcepsUsed to grasp delicate tissue, particularly in cardiovascular surgery.

Adson Tissue ForcepsThese are either smooth: used to grasp delicate tissue; or with teeth: used to grasp the skin.  Other names: Dura forceps

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Russian Tissue ForcepsThey have serration up to the tips, allowing better grasp of tissue with minimum trauma.

Randall Stone ForcepsTo remove kidney stones

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

TenaculumUsed to grasp cervix

Backhaus Towel ClampTo anchor drapes and towels

Allis ClampHas Sharp teeth to hold tissue firmly but can cause damage, so only used in tissue, which will be excised. Used to grasp

subcutaneous layer and tissue.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Kocher/ Oschsner ClampStraight or Curved. It is used to grasp heavy tissue. May be used as a clamp

Ovum (Foerster)For DR

Control of bleedingTo grasp sponges

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Babcock ClampUsed in muscular and facial layers; delicate tissue (in tube, ovary)

Retracting and Exposing InstrumentsUsed to hold back or retract organs or tissue to gain exposure to the operative site.   They are either "self-retaining" (stay

open on their own) or "manual" (held by hand).  When identifying retractors, look at the blade, not the handle.Richardson

For deep abdominal and chest incisions .Used to pull layers of tissue

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

DOUBLE

SINGLE

US Army NavyFor shallow or superficial incision

For pediatric clients

SennFor minor surgery like arterio-venous

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS Wrist or antecubital area

Dull or sharp

DeaverUsed to retract deep abdominal or chest incisions.  Available in various widths.

MalleableUsed to retract deep wounds

May be bent to various shapes

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Vein RetractorUsed in vein stripping (varicose veins)

Volkmann RakeUsed in retracting skin layers

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Green Goiterfor thyroidectomy

WeitlanerUsed to open neck muscles

For thyroidectomy

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

LangenbeckFor visualization of anal/vaginal area

Skin HooksUsed to retract thin skin, like eyelids

For eye surgeries

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Vaginal SpeculumFor Pap Smear, D&C, Visualization of Cervix

Clamping and Occluding InstrumentsThey are used to compress blood vessels or hollow organs for hemostasis or to prevent spillage of content

Straight Mosquito/ HalstedHEMOSTAT COMPONENT

Used to clamp skin, small blood vesselsUsed to hold sutures aside from pedia patients

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Kelly ClampCurved or Straight

HEMOSTAT COMPONENTUsed to clamp larger blood vessels and tissues

Curved Kelly- for peritoneum

Note: The tip has half serrations

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Crile ClampCurved or Straight

HEMOSTAT COMPONENTCurved Crile- for fascia ,subcutaneous, & muscular area

Pean (Rochester-Pean) ClampFor Gastrectomy

Right-Angled (Mixter /Dissector) ForcepsUsed to hold a peanut

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

MiscellaneousCurette

Sharp or Dull For scraping uterine wall

For Double Set-Up

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Hysterometer Used with Vaginal Speculum Measures depth of Uterus

With Gradations

I. CUTTING AND DISSECTING

Cutting and dissecting instruments are sharp and are used to cut body tissue or surgical supplies.

A. KNIFE HANDLES

deep knife 7 handle with 15 blade

Used to cut deep, delicate tissue.

inside knife 3 handle with 10 blade

Used to cut superficial tissue.

skin knife 4 handle with 20 blade

Used to cut skin.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS B. SCISSORS

Straight Mayo

scissors

Used to cut suture and supplies. 

Also known as: Suture scissors.

Curved Mayo

scissors

Used to cut heavy tissue (fascia, muscle, uterus, breast). 

Metzenbaum scissors

Used to cut delicate tissue. 

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

II. CLAMPING and OCCLUDING

Clamping and occluding instruments are used to compress blood vessels or hollow organs for hemostasis or to prevent spillage of contents.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

III.

GRASPING and HOLDING

Grasping and holding instruments are used to hold tissue, drapes or sponges.

hemostat

Other names: crile, snap or stat.

A hemostat is used to clamp blood vessels or tag sutures.  Its jaws may be straight or curved.

hemostat, mosquito(left to right)

A mosquito is used to clamp small blood vessels.  Its jaws may be straight or curved.

Kelly, hemostat, mosquito

(left to right)

Other names: Rochester Pean.

A Kelly is used to clamp larger vessels and tissue

burlisher

Other names: Schnidt tonsil forcep, Adson

forcep.

A burlisher is used to clamp deep blood vessels.   Burlishers have two closed finger rings.  Burlishers with an open finger ring are called tonsil hemostats.

right angle

Other names: Mixter.

A right angle is used to clamp hard-to-reach vessels and to place sutures behind or around a vessel.  A right angle with a suture attached is called a "tie on a passer."

hemoclip applier with hemoclips

A hemoclip applier with hemoclips applies metal clips onto blood vessels and ducts which will remain occluded.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS Allis An Allis is used to grasp tissue.  Available in

short and long sizes.  A "Judd-Allis" holds intestinal tissue; a "heavy allis" holds breast tissue.

Babcock A Babcock is used to grasp delicate tissue (intestine, fallopian tube, ovary).  Available in short and long sizes.

Kocher A Kocher is used to grasp heavy tissue.   May also be used as a clamp.  The jaws may be straight or curved.  Other names: Ochsner.

Foerster sponge stick A Foerster sponge stick is used to grasp sponges.  Other names: sponge forcep.

dissector A dissector is used to hold a peanut.

Backhaus towel clip

A Backhaus towel clip is used to hold towels and drapes in place.  Other name: towel clip.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS Pick ups, thumb forceps and tissue forceps

Pick ups, thumb forceps and tissue forceps are available in various lengths, with or without teeth, and smooth or serrated jaws.

Russian tissue forceps

Russian tissue forceps are used to grasp tissue.

Adson pick ups

Adson pick ups are either smooth: used to grasp delicate tissue; or with teeth: used to grasp the skin.  Other names: Dura forceps.

smooth forceps

Long smooth pick-ups are called dressing forceps. Short smooth pick-ups are used to grasp delicate tissue.

DeBakey forcepsDeBakey forceps are used to grasp delicate tissue, particularly in cardiovascular surgery.

single tooth forceps,  many teeth forceps(top to bottom)

Thumb forceps are used to grasp tough tissue (fascia, breast).   Forceps may either have many teeth or a single tooth.    Single tooth forceps are also called "rat tooth forceps."

short, medium & long

(top to bottom)

Mayo-Hegar needle holders are used to hold needles when suturing.  They may also be placed in the sewing category.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

RETRACTING and EXPOSING INSTRUMENTS

Retracting and exposing instruments are used to hold back or retract organs or tissue to gain exposure to the operative site.   They are either "self-retaining" (stay open on their own) or "manual" (held by hand).  When identifying retractors, look at the blade, not the handle.

Deaver retractor

A Deaver retractor (manual) is used to retract deep abdominal or chest incisions.  Available in various widths.

Richardson retractor

A Richardson retractor (manual) is used to retract deep abdominal or chest incisions.

Army Navy retractorAn Army-Navy retractor (manual) is used to retract shallow or superficial incisions.  Other names: USA, US Army.

gouletA goulet (manual) is used to retract shallow or superficial incisions.

malleable or ribbon retractor

A malleable or ribbon retractor (manual) is used to retract deep wounds.  May be bent to various shapes.

Weitlaner retractor A Weitlaner retractor (self-retaining) is used to retract shallow incisions.

Gelpi retractorA Gelpi retractor (self-retaining) is used to retract shallow incisions. 

BalfourA Balfour with bladder blade (self-retaining) is used to retract wound edges during deep abdominal procedures.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS