Page 5 - Surgical Instruments

Prior to sterilizing surgical instruments, it is a good idea to make sure you have cleaned them to remove blood, tissue and all other organic material.  If soiled materials dries or is baked onto the instruments, it will interfere with microbial inaction and can compromise the sterilization process.

Cleaning is the removal of foreign material (e.g., soil and organic material) from objects and is normally accomplished using water with detergents or enzymatic products.

The most common type of mechanical automatic cleaner is the ultrasonic cleaner. Ultrasonic cleaners are used in conjunction with detergents and enzymatic cleaners.  Ultrasonic cleaning removes particulates by cavitation (bubbles) and implosion. Waves of acoustic energy are transmitted in aqueous solutions and disrupt the bonds that hold particulate matter to surfaces.

When selecting detergents or enzymatic cleaners, make sure they are compatible with the metal and other materials of the surgical instrument. The type of...more

Clean, Consistent Cut Every Time

When you need to quickly take minimally invasive, small samples, the biopsy punch is an easy choice. The biopsy punch is a hand held, pencil-shaped instrument with a slender, pencil-like body. It is lightweight with a hollow, circular, stainless steel, cutting tip.

In 1887 Edward Lawrence Keyes, the first president of the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons, was the first doctor who documented the importance of using the biopsy punch for dermatological diagnostics. He observed that the skin tissue samples can be obtained without complications, minimal bleeding and no need for suturing.

Uses for Biopsy Punches

Punches are not solely used in dermatology. Biopsy punches are also designed for therapeutics, cosmetic procedures, and for diagnosing and treating various medical conditions. Punches have found their way into the research world and are frequently used in a variety of applications:

• Electrophysiology–Specimen samples are collected for patch...more

When you are selecting surgical instruments for a procedure, here are a few key points to consider

• What procedure are you performing? Published research papers usually indicate which instruments other researchers have used for similar procedures. The correct surgical instrument for a particular procedure makes a difference on the outcome of that technique.
• What is the size of your subject? An instrument that is perfect for a 200­–300 g rat (about 22–25 cm long) may not be the best choice for a neo-natal mouse of about 15 g (about 1–2.5 cm long).
• How often will the instrument be used? If you perform more than 100 cuts per day, a pair of titanium scissors or a pair of scissors with tungsten carbide inserts would be worth considering. They stay sharp longer.

In this article we will consider some of these factors and offer a few tips for selecting an appropriate pair of scissors, tweezers and forceps.

Types of Surgical Instruments

Most of our surgical instruments can be used for general surgery...more

The proper care and handling of your valuable surgical instruments will improve their longevity and function. Choose a protocol appropriate for your environment from the cleaning techniques below. See the videos here.

RINSING

Immediately after use, rinse instruments under warm or cool running water to remove all blood, body fluids and tissue. Dried soils may damage the instrument surface and make cleaning very difficult. Do not use hot water as this will coagulate proteinous substances.

CLEANING TECHNIQUES

Time, temperature, and agitation play important roles in the cleaning process.

Time — the efficiency of cleaning chemicals is often time dependant

Temperature — higher temperature cleaning solutions result in better cleaning

Agitation — whether manual or ultrasonic, it is helpful in loosening the soil on the surface of the instrument

Ultrasonic Cleaning

Ultrasonic is the most effective cleaning method. Ultrasonic cleaning is the result of cavitation. Vibrating sound waves create micron-size...more

What's the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing? Let's take a look. This is the first in a series of four videos to discuss some best practices in caring for your surgical instrument investment.

In video #2, you can see how to manually clean surgical instruments. It is loaded with tips. This video is the second in a series of four to discuss some best practices in caring for your surgical instrument investment. 

In video #3, you can see how to mechanically clean surgical instruments using an ultrasonic cleaner. This video is loaded with tips. This video is the third in a series of four to discuss some best practices in caring for your surgical instrument investment.

In video #4, you get some practical tips on sterilizing your surgical instruments and using an autoclave.This video is the fourth in a series of four to discuss some best practices in caring for your surgical instrument investment. 

WPI was founded by a researcher who built electrophysiology equipment...more

WPI surgical instruments were recently featured in a JoVE video that demonstrates a new method for cross pollinating grasses.

More Info

Jiang, H., Barbier, H., Brutnell, T. Methods for Performing Crosses in Setaria viridis, a New Model System for the Grasses. J. Vis. Exp. (80), e50527, doi:10.3791/50527 (2013).

WPI now offers suction tweezers that are ideal for picking up small objects with a flat surface. The Pickup Tweezers are perfect for handling and positioning coverslips, removing small tissues from a solution or manipulation of small electronic components. The Pickup Tweezers (#504523) require no power or batteries, and are safe from all electrostatic discharge. This kit includes the metal body (handle), a straight metal needle, an angled metal needle, three rubber cups (4, 6 and 9mm diameter) and a lubricant set. When your fingers are just too big, and standard tweezers are awkward, the Pickup Tweezers are perfect.

More Info

Use the table below to compare WPI and Bovie part numbers.

When applied to surgical instruments, Diamond-Like Carbon coating dramatically increases the life of the instrument. Because DLC-coated surgical instruments are incredibly durable and resistant to wear from chemicals, moisture and atmospheric conditions, they have a much greater useful lifespan. According to the manufacturer, pure DLC coatings as thin a 2-3μm can increase the lifespan of a pair of Vannas scissors more than 100 times that of its uncoated counterpart.

DLC is a revolutionary new coating that is being tested in a variety of industries. For example, when engine parts are coated, the DLC reduces friction and corrosion, increasing the life of the engine. In a completely different industry, DLC coating is being tested on metal heart valves. The coating is non-toxic, and it is so slick that biological material isn't likely to stick to it. Additionally, heart valves coated with pure DLC will last longer than their recipients, more than a hundred years.

What is it?

Natural diamonds...more

Luer kits contain many plastic parts made of a variety of materials. A common question is how to sterilize these parts. Common sterilizing methods include:

• EtO (gas)–a chemical steriliant small enough to penetrate the microbial cells that destroying nuclear cell components
• 70/30 Alcohol
• Cidex (Activated Dialdehyde solution)
• Autoclaving (wet 121°C, 15PSI for 30 minutes)–Before autoclaving, verify that the caps are properly loosened or removed to prevent any accidental implosion. Carefully clean the items with distilled water before autoclaving, because some chemicals that are inert on plastic resins at room temperature causes deterioration at high temperatures.

Can the Luer Kits be Autoclaved?

We offer to following luer kits. This table shows the materials used in each kit and whether or not the plastic parts are autoclavable.

What Materials are Autoclavable?

This table shows a...more