surgical instruments

In university small animal research, surgical precision directly impacts both data reliability and animal welfare. Hemostatic forceps are essential instruments for controlling bleeding and minimizing trauma. From fine Mosquito Forceps for microsurgery to robust Rochester Carmalt clamps for larger vessels, choosing the right instrument, and using it correctly, can dramatically improve your surgical outcomes.

But even experienced lab teams can fall into bad habits. Here are the most common mistakes to avoid, along with guidance on selecting the best hemostatic forceps for your protocols.

Surgical forceps are available in several different grades, including disposable, standard stainless steel, German steel, Swiss made, and titanium. Your choice of instrument grade will depend on your requirements and your budget. Here are some considerations to help you make an informed decision.

Reducing hand fatigue while using surgical scissors is important, not only for your comfort, but also to maintain the precision of your work. Here are some tips to help reduce strain and minimize hand fatigue.

Metzenbaum and Mayo scissors are both types of surgical scissors, and while they may look similar at first glance, they serve different purposes. Let’s look at the differences between the two scissors styles.

Surgical forceps are available in several different grades, including disposable, standard stainless steel, German steel, Swiss made, and titanium. Your choice of instrument grade will depend on your requirements and your budget. Here are some considerations to help you make an informed decision.

Surgical forceps and surgical tweezers are handheld surgical instruments for grasping or clamping, but they serve different purposes and have distinct features. While both are used for manipulating small objects, forceps are typically used in medical and research environments, and tweezers have a broader use in hobbies, daily routine tasks, and mechanical applications. Here we will explore some of the differences between the two, including their construction and uses.

Dumont is a well-known brand that specializes in the production of high-quality precision forceps and tweezers for surgical and scientific use, as well as for electronics, jewelry, and other  applications. Dumont surgical instruments, particularly Dumont tweezers, are highly regarded for their precision, craftsmanship, and durability.

Ultrasonic cleaning is the most effective cleaning method for maintaining your surgical instruments, because of its cavitation. Vibrating sound waves create micron-size bubbles in solution that grow as the pressure in the unit changes. Eventually the bubbles implode. The bursting bubbles effectively dislodge debris, even in the most difficult to reach places. Use of ultrasonic detergent greatly improves the effectiveness of the cleaner, because it increases the number of tiny bubbles

1. 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 difficult.
   CAUTION: Do not use hot water since this causes proteinous substances to coagulate.
2. Before you begin, fill the ultrasonic cleaner with deionized water and enzymatic cleaner like Enzol according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. You may also use a neutral pH or mild alkaline detergent like Alconox.
3. Run the cleaner...more

After a good cleaning and disinfection, your surgical instruments may be sterilized using a variety of methods. The chart below shows two common methods, autoclaving and cold sterilization. Sterilization destroys all microbial life. Some chemical sterilants can be used as high level disinfectants (HLD) when used for shorter exposure periods.

• You can sterilize your instruments by soaking them in a chemical sterilant like Cidex Plus® for 10 hours at 25°C. This process may be detrimental to fine instruments.
• Dry heat or autoclaving are the preferred methods of sterilizing surgical instruments. Typically, surgical instruments are sterilized by autoclaving. Autoclaving, which is saturated steam under high pressure, is the most common method for sterilizing surgical instruments. If you prefer to autoclave, instruments may be autoclaved individually or in sets.

Disposable paper or plastic pouches are ideal for autoclaving individual instruments. Use a pouch wide enough for instruments with...more

The proper care and handling of surgical instruments is the simplest way to protect your investment and add years to the life of your instruments. Here is a handy infographics showing the steps for proper surgical instrument cleaning.

When you are cleaning instruments manually, here a few quick tips:

• Use stiff plastic cleaning brushes.
• Do NOT use steel wool or wire brushes. 
• Use only neutral pH detergents. 

Take special care when you are rinsing your instruments. Here's a note of caution:

• If not rinsed properly, low pH detergents may breakdown the stainless protective surface and cause black staining. 
• High pH detergents may cause surface deposits of brown stains, which can interfere with the smooth operation of the instrument. 

This are the steps of a typical protocol.

1. Whether you are cleaning your surgical instruments manually or ultrasonically, the first step is to rinse off all blood, bodily fluids and tissue immediately after use. Dried soils may damage the instrument surface and...more

Although stainless steel is corrosion-resistant, it can still rust and stain if it is handled improperly. To determine if a discoloration is rust or just a stain, erase the discoloration with a pencil eraser. If there is pitting in the metal under the discoloration, it is corrosion. If the discoloration is removed, it was just a stain. 

• A High pH can cause a brown or orange stain on surgical instruments.
• If a stain is dark brown, the stainless steel surgical instruments have likely been exposed to a Low pH solution.
• A blue or bluish-black stain could be the result of reverse plating. This can happen if you mix metals in a cleaning cycle. For example, stainless steel instruments should not be mixed with titanium instruments. Do not place dissimilar metals (stainless steel, copper, chrome-plated, titanium, etc.) in the same cleaning cycle.
• A stain of multi-colors is caused by excessive heat.
• Light or dark spots on instruments are often caused by water droplets that dry on the surface of...more

Surgical instruments are designed to perform diagnostic, therapeutic, or investigative operations having specific functions such as to cut or incise, retract, grasp, hold or occlude, dilate or probe, suture or ligate. 

The majority of surgical instruments are made of stainless steel or titanium (used where non-magnetic instruments are required). Stainless steel is an alloy that contains a minimum 12% chromium for corrosion resistance. Here's a quick comparison chart looking a various metals used in surgical instruments and the best applications for each.

Stainless Steel

Austenitic 316 steel, also called surgical steel or marine grade steel is the most common alloy used for WPI's standard line of instruments. Surgical steel has excellent corrosion-resistance, which makes it a good choice for biomedical implants or body piercing jewelery, as well as surgical instruments. It is in compliance with ASTM F138. Stainless steel (Inox) also has good salt resistance and temperature resistant up...more

Inox, Titanium, Dumoxel®, Dumastar®, Antimagnetic... Have you ever looked at the variety of metal alloys for surgical instruments and laboratory tools and wondered which is best for your needs? Here's a brief rundown.

Stainless Steel (Inox)

Why Stainless Steel is the Standard Alloy for Surgical Instruments

Our standard line of instruments is manufactured of highest quality materials. They are made of austenitic 316 steel commonly known as “surgical steel” or “marine grade steel.” Stainless steel, also known as Inox (from the French word "inoxydable"), is highly corrosion resistant and it is a common choice of material for biomedical implants or body piercing jewelry. It is in compliance with ASTM F138. This WPI line is an excellent alternative to German surgical...more