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University of Gondar collage of

medicin and health science
Course name……operating room
techinique
Surgical instrument assignment
Prepared by Mesele
Endalamaw……………ID ….00441/12
LEARNING OBGECTEVS Type surgical
instrument
Identify each instrument by
name
Understandings how to care
instrument
Identify general safeguarded
INTRODUCTION surgical instrument is a specialized tool or
device, typically made of steel use
during surgery to clamp, cut, dissect, retract, or otherwise manipulate
and/or modify biological tissue.
There are many different kinds of surgical instruments. Some surgical
instruments are designed for use across all types of surgeries, while
others are for specific surgeries. Surgical instruments must
be decontaminated and sterilized between uses to minimize both the
risks of infection and the introduction of foreign material during surgery.
Within hospitals, this is typically performed by a dedicated sterile
services utilizing steam autoclaves among other sterilization methods.
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Classifying surgical instruments helps

In memorizing instruments names, and
To be familiar with the basic categories of instruments.

Surgical instruments have specific purposes and may be classified by

their functions most fall into one of four groups.
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Instruments are classified by their

function

1. Cutting & Dissecting

2. Grasping & Holding

3. Clamping & Occluding

4. Exposing & Retracting

5. Suturing & Stapling

6. Viewing

7. Suctioning
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type of surgical instruments

1. Cutting and Dissecting

 Cutting instruments Have sharp edges/points.

 They are used to dissect, incise,separate, penetrate, or excise tissue.

These instruments should be kept
separate from other instruments, and the
sharp edges should be protected during
cleaning, sterilizing, and storing.
To prevent injury to the handler and damage to the
sharp edges, proper precautions are necessary to
take during the handling and disposing of all
sharps, blades, or scalpels.
 This group includes: scissors, knives, biopsy
punches, scalpels (blades), saws, osteotomes,
drills, curettes, needles, chisels, and etc.
Cutting and Dissecting
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Main function
To cut and dissect Tissue
To cut sutures, clothing, bandages
Where used mostly .General surgery
Lister Bandage Scissors


Used to remove bandages and dressings

 Probe tip is blunt; inserted under bandages with relative safet
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Sharp/Sharp Scissors

Used to cut and dissect tissue

Both blade tips are sharp

Sharp/Blunt Scissors

 Used to cut and dissect fascia and muscle

 One blunt tip and one sharp tip

Curved Blunt/Blunt Scissors

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 Both blade tips are blunt

 Can be curved or straight

Ear Curette
 Can have sharp or blunt scraper ends

 Used to remove ear wax from ear canal

2. Grasping and Clamping

 A clamp is an instrument that clasps tissue between its jaws.
 Clamps are available for use on nearly every type of body tissue,
from delicate eye muscle to heavy bone.
 The most common clamps are the haemostatic clamps, designed to
grasp blood vessels, crushing clamps, noncrushing vascular clamps etc.
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 Grasping instruments are used to hold and manipulate structures.

Needle holder, tissue forceps, Allis forceps,bone holders, tenacula
(tenaculum, singular) etc. are included in this category

Sponge Forceps
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Used to hold gauze squares or

sponge to “mop up” the surgical site

 Jaws are serrated

Transfer Forceps

When sterile, transfer forceps;

 arrange items on sterile tray
 transfer items to sterile field

Toothed Tissue Forceps

 Used for grasping and holding tissue, muscle or skin surrounding a
wound
 Single toothed on one side; fits between two teeth on the other side
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Plain Thumb Forceps

 Used to hold tissue in place when applying sutures

 Used to gently move tissues out of the way during exploratory
surgery
 Used to insert packing into or remove objects from deep Cavitiey .

3. Exposing and Retracting

 Soft tissues, muscles, and other structures should be pulled aside for
exposure of the surgical site.
 Exposing and retracting instruments are those that hold tissue or
organs away from the area where the surgeon is working.
 Retractors, like clamps, are available for use in all parts of the body.
 They may be very shallow, as for skin retraction, or very deep, as for
the retraction of abdominal contents.

 Retractors can be handheld or self-retaining

Skin Hook
 Flat end is a blunt retractor
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 Three-prong end may be sharp to dull

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 Used to retract small incisions or secure a skin edge for Suturing

Malleable retractors

Malleable retractor is a flat length of low carbon stainless steel, silver

or silver plated copper that may be bent to the desired angle and

depth for retraction.

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4 Probing and Dilating

 A probe is used to explore a structure or to locate an obstruction

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 Probes are used to explore the depth of a wound orto trace the path

of a fistula.

 Dilators are used to increase/enlarge the diameter of a lumen, such as

the urethra, uterine cervix, of esophagus.

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Suturing and stapling

Suture material and different types of needles are covered in a separate
article.
However, it is worth mentioning that needle holders are a specific type
of hinged-forceps that are specifically designed to hold suture needles
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between their teeth . eg skin staplerand steel suture clip stapler

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Suction

Suction is used to clear the surgical field by removin blood or other

fluids.

The suction tip is attached to a vacuum piping outside of the sterile

field.
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1. There are many different shapes of suckers (small and fine-

tipped, or large to prevent blockages) depending on the

operation being performed .

frazier

suction tip

tip catheter
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HOW TO CARE OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

Instruments should be cleaned and dried immediately after use.

If they aren't, water and chemical residue will cause staining.

Manufacturers recommend using distilled water and solutions with a pH

below 10 for cleaning, rinsing, and sterilization.

Always dry and sterilize instruments in an open positi

Here are general safegared when handling and

cleaning your surgical instruments.
Proper care and handling are key to the longevity of your surgical
instruments

Immediately after use, clean and dry your

instruments.
o Residue will cause staining if they are not rinsed right
after the procedure.
o It is recommended that you use warm or cool, distilled
water and solutions with a pH below 10 for cleaning,
rinsing, and sterilization.
o Dry instruments thoroughly to minimize the risk of
corrosion and water spots.
o For instruments such as forceps and scissors, make sure
they are dried in an open position.
o Store instruments in dry areas.

Instruments should be used for their

intended purpose only. 
o Make sure you use the appropriate instruments for each
procedure.
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o Incorrect use can damage the instruments beyond repair

or can impact its performance, which can lead to
frustration and delays in the OR

Don’t place instruments in saline or any other

harsh solution
Long-term exposure to saline can break down the surface of an
instrument which can cause corrosion, thus, shortening its
lifespan.
Use a softer brush for manual cleaning. 
o Stiff plastic or nylon brushes are most effective for
manual cleaning.
o You should pay special attention to any hard-to-reach
areas and moving parts.

Lubricate all instruments that have any

metal-to-metal action before autoclaving
o Only use surgical instrument lubricates.
o Using a steel or wire brush will likely damage the
instrument.
o Never use WD-40, oil, or other industrial lubricants.
For instruments such as scissors or needle holders, sterilize them in
an open position
Never lock an instrument during autoclaving this will prevent the
steam from reaching and sterilizing the metal-to-metal surfaces.

Ultrasonic cleaning is one of the most

effective cleaning methods.
o Ultrasonic cleaning is the result of cavitation.
o The vibrate waves create bubbles in the solution which
grow until they finally implode, removing grime.
o Recommended exposure time is 5-10 minutes.
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How do you care and storesurgical instruments

Don't forget to lubricate all moving parts after cleaning and before placing
them in the autoclave.
Be careful not to exceed the recommended exposure time when using
disinfecting and sterilizing solutions.
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Store your instruments in dry areas and make sure they're thoroughly dried

before putting them into

If items were sterilized in an unwrapped state, they should be used

immediately.
Alternatively, you can store them in covered, sterile trays for a week or less.
Wrapped instruments should be kept in a cabinet in a warm and dry
environment.

Reference
1.  Renee Nimitz, Surgical Instrumentation: an Interactive
Approach (Saunders, 2010) 1416037020, pxiii