Different types of surgical instruments aid in the smooth working of a surgical field. A surgeon may need to retract an opening or cut through the tissue to access the area. Therefore, having the surgical kit prepared at all times is important. New Med Instruments is a licensed surgical supply store working to craft highly durable and efficient surgical tools and equipment. We have an extensive variety of basic surgical instruments for every surgical domain. 


This article is a New Med overview of different types of surgical instruments for better know-how and surgical knowledge. Let’s explore!

Common Surgical Tools and Their Uses

Surgeons, whether seasoned or novices, need to have a thorough knowledge of common surgical tools and their uses. This helps them perform the required surgical manipulations without any hesitation. Therefore, for your guidance, we have enlisted the surgical instruments categories along with their types, precisely:

Cutting Surgical Instruments

Healthcare professionals mainly rely on cutting surgical instruments. These medical tools assist in severing tissues, bones, muscles, and organs. Moreover, different types of these tools also assist in cutting surgical supplies, such as gauze and bandages. 


Given is a quick round-up of major cutting surgical tools, along with their description: 

Surgical Scissors

The surgical field has a vast variety of surgical scissors. From material cutting to everyday incisions, surgical scissors perform all sorts of severing actions. Common surgical scissors assist in severing tissues and muscles during the surgery. Bandage scissors assist in cutting sutures, stitches, and bandages. There is an extensive array of surgical scissors. Every surgical domain has a specialised set of scissors for a dedicated function. 

Surgical Scalpels

Surgical scalpels aid in dissection and surgeries related to the field of podiatry. There are two major categories of surgical scalpels. First comes the surgical scalpel that is designed for one-time usage. These scalpels come with a plastic handle and a disposable blade. Second comes the reusable scalpel. These are designed for long-term use and can be reused after sterilisation. 

Surgical Saws

Orthopaedic surgeries and processes involving amputation rely on surgical saws for cutting bones and hard surfaces. Furthermore, surgical saws help in forensics as well. They can be used to cut a part of a bone. Moreover, surgeons also use them to open up the chest cavity. 

Grasping and Holding Surgical Instruments

Surgical procedures require active manipulation of tissues and surgical material. There are different grasping and holding surgical instruments that do the job. Some tools work to expose the defective areas of the body. While the others can assist in holding sponges, sutures, and tissues. Below is a quick overview of major surgical tools for holding, precisely: 

Surgical Forceps

Surgical forceps are the chief holding and grasping surgical tools. They can either be thumb forceps or reverse. Thumb forceps work under the influence of active manipulation. They open when the prongs are squeezed. Their chief function is to administer and remove surgical material like stitches and dressings. 


While the reverse forceps are mostly used to apply pressure. Furthermore, they can either be ratcheted or non-ratcheted. The former opens and closes when needed. While the latter doesn’t have this option. 

Surgical Tweezers

Tweezers do not come with a built-in step-lock. They need to be actively handled and manipulated by the surgeon. Usually, they work on delicate tissues of the body without damaging them. Moreover, they may also assist in taking out any foreign object that may have gained access to the body. Their major examples include Gillies, Lane, and Debakey surgical tweezers. 

Hemostatic Surgical Instruments 

Injuries or high-vascular surgeries involve manipulation of blood vessels. Sometimes, the vessels may rupture, leading to excessive loss of blood. Hemostatic surgical instruments are used for this purpose. They work to occlude the blood vessels and stop the flow of blood immediately. 

Hemostats

They come with a highly efficient locking mechanism to snap the blood vessel. Mostly, Kocher, Kelly, and Crile Hemostats find use in the surgical field. Crile hemostats have non-serrated edges. They clutch the ends of the vessel to stop bleeding. Larger blood vessels require a potent hemostat. Kelly clamps are used for larger blood vessels. Moreover, Kocher clamps work on discarded vessels, where they hold them until the extraction. 

Surgical Sutures

Medical professionals require needles, needle holders, and suturing material to stitch the open surgical wound. Surgical sutures are the most commonly used for achieving hemostasis. Once the wound closes, the natural healing process starts. 

Surgical Retractors

As the name specifies, surgical retractors work by keeping the surgical site open or by pulling the different parts of the organs for better visibility. Mostly, the placement of our organs can hinder the surgical manipulation and the eye view. Therefore, retractors work by keeping the cavities open. 

Hand Held Retractors

Surgeons need to actively hold and manipulate the retractor for it to function. These are manually directed to expose and hold back tissues and cavities. They come in different configurations to suit the different needs of the surgical field. 

Self-Retaining Retractors

These retractors come with screws, ratchets, and a locking mechanism. Once the surgeons have gripped the tissue, the tool closes on its own, allowing greater freedom to the surgeon. Self-retaining retractors reduce any accidental trauma due to faulty manipulation. Langenbeck, Norfolk, and Travers retractors are some of the major types of retractors. 

Tissue Unifying Surgical Equipment

Once the surgical manipulation finishes and the issue is resolved, there is a need for tissue-unifying surgical equipment. These common surgical instruments are the most sought-after. They work on tissues and muscles, helping them to unite for the healing process to begin. There is a vast variety of tissue unifying surgical equipment, such as surgical staplers, needles and needle holders, and electric cauterisers, among others. 

Needle and Needle Holder

Open incisions must be closed. Therefore, the assistants use needles, needle holders, and sutures to close the wounds. Assistants might also ligate with these. The needle holder drives the needle to stitch a wound. 

Surgical Stapler

There is an alternative available for sutures. These are surgical staplers. They work similarly; however, they use a stapler instead of the needle and the needle holder. 

FAQs

Q1: How can you keep your surgical instruments clean and germ-free?

It is important to thoroughly clean and wipe the instruments after use. There is a complete set of protocols for cleaning every surgical tool. Mostly, the instrument is wiped and then subjected to the process of sterilisation. Once sterilised, the tool is then dried and kept in a surgical kit. There is an extensive guide on the top 10 tips for maintaining your surgical instruments. It should be followed in letter and spirit. 

Q2: What are the must-have surgical tools in every surgical field?

Some of the must-have surgical tools include scissors, retractors, scalpels, saws, hemostats, and forceps. Every surgical domain has a designated set of surgical tools. In case you’re referring to the general surgery, knowing about the top 10 surgical instruments every operating room should have can go a long way in guiding and instructing. 

Pioneer the Art of Surgery with New Med’s Different Types of Surgical Instruments

Surgeons prefer being equipped with world-class surgical tools for smooth surgeries. New Med believes in supplying sturdy and buffed surgical tools. Whether you are an orthopaedic or a plastic surgeon, you can find every surgical set and surgical equipment type at our facility. All our tools are CE and FDA approved. We deliver worldwide at affordable charges. You can contact us now for more information!