Surgical Instruments / LEARNING CURVE
65
Know Your Surgical Instruments Familiarize yourself with these
surgical instruments and their use. by Gail E. Marshall, MBA, AHT, with Karl M. Peter, DVM
urgical instruments were designed to help surgeons perform a wide variety of procedures in both large and small mammals. These instru- ments can be divided into categories based on their function such as cutting, grasping, occluding, suctioning, etc. Regardless of an instrument’s cat-
S egory,
similar terminology is used to describe its form and function. The fol- lowing terms are used in this excerpt from Companion-Animal Dental and Surgical Instruments: A Reference for Veterinary Technicians and Assistants to describe surgical instruments:
Spring Hinge Tweezer-like, V-shaped, spring-hinged instruments with a joint at the ends of the two arms. The tips of the instrument, held apart by spring tension, are apposed by pressure applied by the operator’s thumb and fingers. These instruments provide precise grasping, holding and handling of delicate tissues.
Jaws These are the tips or working part of
the surgical instrument. The function of individual instruments is frequently defined by the characteristics of the jaws. They can be smooth or have serrated pat- terns (transverse, longitudinal or cross- hatched), and have tips that are either pointed or round, with or without teeth or hooks.
Trends magazine, September 2011 Box Lock
This is a scissors-like central hinge that controls the jaws (functional tip) of the instrument. Instruments such as sur- gical scissors forceps, needle holders and clamps such as hemostats have box lock joints, particularly when a high degree of durability, reliability and accurate appo- sition of the grasping tips are required.
Shank
The shank is the part of the instrument that connects the box lock to the finger rings. The closing force of the jaws stems from the shank: the longer the shank, the greater the force on the jaws. Shanks may be either straight or curved.
Finger Rings
Located at the opposite end of the instrument from the tips or jaws, fin- ger rings are used to grip and control an instrument (i.e., the jaws) with the thumb and fingers.
Ratchet Lock Mechanism This mechanism is used to hold or
lock two opposing jaws closed or in a fixed position. This frees the surgeon’s hands to perform other tasks during a procedure. This excerpt provides a few examples of common handheld surgical instru- ments. (The book also includes a full array of handheld and power tools, plus other equipment.)
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