Term
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Definition
Mayo Scissors
Heavy-bodied
Semi-blunt ends
Used for cutting heavy fascia and sutures.
Straight-bladed Mayo scissors are designed for cutting body tissues near the surface of the wound
Used for dissection
Curved-bladed Mayo scissors allow deeper penetration into the wound.
The curved style of Mayo scissor is used to cut thick tissues such as those found in the uterus, muscles, and foot |
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Term
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Definition
Metzenbaum Scissors
Dissecting Scissors
Semi-blunt tip
Fine blades are about 38mm long
More delicate than Mayo scissors and have a longer handle to blade ration.
ONLY used for delicate bunt dissection or to cut soft tissue.
Standard Surgical Scissors
Names refer to style of the blade tip:
Blunt:Blunt
Blunt:Sharp
Sharp:Sharp |
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Term
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Definition
Lister Bandage Scissors
Designed to trim bandages to custom size, cut through clothing or gauze, and to remove bandages.
Designed to safely lift bandages away from skin for easy cutting
Bottom blade has a thick “spade” tip to prevent gouging the skin.
Angle the blade parallel to the skin
Never EVER use standard scissors for bandage or mat removal! You will lacerate your patient! |
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Term
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Definition
Utility Shears
Inexpensive
Durable
Good for cutting heavy materials like plastic and fiberglass casting
Clumsy
Large |
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Term
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Definition
Suture scissors
Highly specialized tool
For the removal of sutures ONLY
Entire length of the blades is sharp.
Delicate instrument and often very small.
The tip of one blade has a circular cutting area that can be slipped under the suture
Do not use these to cut wire suture!
Alternative: Stitch cutter blade |
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Definition
Wire Cutting scissors
Highly specialized tool
Useless for everything except cutting wire
May be included as a sterilized instrument in an orthopedic pack |
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Definition
Skin Staple Remover
Used for the atraumatic removal of surgical staples
Specialized tool
Often get thrown away by accident
Difficult to get staples out without discomfort to your patient any other way. |
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Term
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Definition
Plain Dressing forceps
Dressing forceps have smooth or lightly serrated tips
To grasp dressings or NON-viable tissue
Because of the force required to grasp with these they cause significant damage to living tissue. |
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Term
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Definition
Rat-Tooth Forceps
To grasp skin and other dense tissue
Can cause damage to delicate tissue
Interdigitating teeth hold tissue without slipping
Two tines on one side, one on the other |
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Term
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Definition
Adson Tissue Forcep
To pick up, hold, and manoeuvre delicate tissues
Very fine teeth
teeth are 2 over 1 or 3 over 2
Wider / shorter blades than the rat tooth
Designed for light, careful handling of tissue.
1 over 2 or 2 over 3 teeth
Wider blades than rat tooth forceps |
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Term
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Definition
Allis Tissue Forceps
Interdigitating short teeth to grasp and hold bowel or tissue.
Holds tightly
Traumatic to tissues
Not recommended for viscera unless it is being excised
Used to hold intestine, fascia, and skin
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Term
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Definition
Babcock Intestinal Tissue Forceps
More delicate that Allis, less directly traumatic. Broad, flared ends with smooth tips.
Light jaw compression
Used to atraumatically hold viscera (bowel and bladder) |
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Term
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Definition
Forester Sponge Forceps
Can be straight or curved.
Smooth or serrated jaws.
Used to atraumatically hold viscera (bowel and bladder), grasp a sponge to aseptically apply the final prep to a surgical site or provide direct pressure for haemostasis.
Can reach deep in a body cavity.
Commonly used to hold tissue for body piercing. |
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Term
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Definition
Mayo Needle Holders
Used to drive needles through tissue and assist with suturing
Short jaws with cross-hatched grooves for gripping
Heavy, with mildly tapered jaws
No cutting edge |
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Term
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Definition
McPhail Needle Holder
Delicate
Ratcheted locking jaws grip needles tight
Spring action |
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Term
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Definition
Halsted Mosquito Forceps
Used to clamp small vessels.
May be used in conjunction with electro-cautery.
Mosquito haemostats have a small, fine tip.
Crushing action
Fine grooves run across the entire length of the jaws. |
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Term
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Definition
Crile Haemostatic Forcep
Used to occlude blood vessels and uterine horns.
Crushing action
Large grooves run across the whole jaw.
Kelly Haemostatic Forcep
Used to occlude medium blood vessels
Large grooves run half-way down the jaws.
Smooth area can be used to clamp plastic tubing without cutting it.
Intestinal Forceps
Hinged (locking) forceps used for grasping and holding tissue. |
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Term
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Definition
Rochester Carmalt
Heavier bodied than the Kelly
Used for clamping ovarian pedicals during an OVH
Serrations run across the vessel instead of in the same direction as blood flow. |
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Definition
Alligator Forceps (Not haemostats)
For reaching IN
Good for retrieving small foreign bodies such as grass seeds
VERY delicate and break easily |
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Term
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Definition
Scalpel Blades/Handles (Pg754)
Scalpel blades come in different sizes for different jobs.
- No. 10 – rarely used in SA clinics
- No. 11 – dentistry
- No. 12 – rarely used in SA clinics
- No. 15 – small animal skin incision
- No. 20 – large animal skin incision
Small animal blades fit a #3 scalpel handle and large animal blades fit a #4 handle |
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Term
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Definition
Towel Clamps
Towel clamps are used to secure drapes to a patient's skin by penetrating the epidermis. They may also be used to hold tissue but are traumatic and may cause damage to delicate tissue.
Backhaus Towel Clamp
Locking forceps with curved, pointed tips. |
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Term
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Definition
Jones Towel Clamp
Sharply pointed curved tips
Locks in to place using pressure instead of a ratcheting lock
Lighter than Backhaus so more suitable for delicate work
Often called X-Action towel clamp |
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Term
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Definition
Ovariohysterectomy hooks (Spay hook)
Spay hooks are used for exteriorizing a uterine horn during a spay
Snook Spay Hook
Broad, blunt tip
Couvalt Spay Hook
narrow tip with a small ball on the end |
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Term
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Definition
Balfour Abdominal Retractors
Used to hold open abdominal incisions for better visualization.
May be used to visualize larynx in horses.
Three blades hold three sides of the incision
Self-retaining |
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Term
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Definition
Senn Retractor
Blades at each end.
Blades can be blunt or sharp
Manual retractor |
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Term
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Definition
Gelpi Retractor
Used for holding open skin over joints
Has sharp single point tips.
Points curve outwards and backwards
Ratchets to hold tissue apart
Self-retaining
Should be packaged with plastic cover over the tips to prevent puncturing the package.
Comes in a few sizes to match the size of the patient |
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Term
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Definition
Weitlaner Retractor
Similar to a Gelpi
Rake tips can be blunt or sharp
Ratchet to hold tissue apart. |
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