Medical Surgical Instruments

Medical Surgical Instruments Continue To Improve With Time

The history of medical surgical instruments began long before man built the first hospital. Thousands of years ago, primitive surgical instruments consisted of daunting things such as flint, saws and knives. Knives were used to remove fingers, and one can only imagine how effective surgery was with the use of a saw. Circumcision and trepanation (a hole in the skull to release pressure and/or spirits) were two of the most common surgeries. In Babylonia around 1700 B.C., bronze lancets were used to make small incisions. However, surgery was not practiced frequently because there was harsh punishment for poor outcomes. Medical surgical instruments were also used infrequently in ancient Chinese and Japanese culture because cutting the human body was opposed.

Modern surgery began in the mid 1800s with the introduction of anesthesia and antiseptics to help ease the pain. Not until the late 1800s were medical surgical instruments sterilized, and sterile rubber gloves introduced. Surgery methods continued to progress when x-rays were discovered in 1895, providing surgeons with a tool to diagnose conditions before surgery. Later, medical surgical instruments expanded with the introduction of the operating microscope and laser surgery.

Today, sophisticated technology continues to make precise medical surgical instruments possible by improving the skill of surgeons and increasing the survival rates of patients. This is a long way from the use of a saw in primitive times.

Surgical procedures vary, but can be classified into general categories such as eye, brain, gastric, spine, bypass heart, and OBGYN. The use of medical surgical instruments can be for a general operation or to carry out a specific procedure. Additionally, medical surgical instruments have different classes:

Forceps
Clamps for blood vessels and other organs
Retractors
Dilators to access narrow passages or incisions
Mechanical cutters (scalpels, lancets, drill bits, etc.)
Suction tips to remove bodily fluids
Irrigation and injection needles, tips and tubes for introducing fluid
Scopes and probes
Carriers and appliers for optical, electronic and mechanical devices
Measurement devices

Surgical products are categorized by the operation type, making it easy to order the appropriate instruments. For example, gall bladder procedures require retractors, forceps, scissors and clamps. A nine inch mini-chole retractor costs $160; the price of gall bladder forceps range between $130 and $250. Suppliers for medical surgical instruments are a one stop source for the multiple instruments and their uses.