The Cutting Edge
Heavy scissors used to cut fascia and sutures.
What are Mayo scissors?
This large, handheld retractor is the classic “student instrument” in deep abdominal cases.
What is a Richardson retractor?
The smallest common hemostat, used for tiny vessels.
What is a Mosquito clamp?
This is the port that lets all your instruments enter the abdomen without losing insufflation.
What is a trocar?
The general name for instruments used to grasp and manipulate tissue.
What are forceps (pickups)?
The basic blade (and number) used to make the initial incision in an exploratory laparotomy.
What is a #10 blade scalpel?
The “bendy” retractor that you shape to fit the anatomy you’re exposing.
What is a malleable retractor?
This gentle, non-crushing clamp is often used to handle bowel.
What is a Babcock clamp?
This instrument is classically used to occlude the cystic duct and artery prior to cutting in a laparoscopic case.
What is a laparoscopic clip applier?
These toothed pickups are commonly used to hold skin or fascia.
What are Adson forceps?
The basic blade (and number) used to make smaller incisions, like for a trocar site.
What is a #15 blade scalpel?
This sharp, self-retaining retractor gives excellent exposure often used in smaller incisions.
What is a Weitlaner retractor?
A toothed clamp you should NOT use on bowel.
What is a Kocher clamp?
Articulating blades controlled from the handle that allow small, precise cuts inside the abdomen in a laparoscopic case.
What are laparoscopic scissors?
These long, atraumatic pickups are used for delicate structures like bowel or vessels.
What are DeBakey forceps?
A blade that is used to make "stab" incisions.
What is a #11 blade scalpel?
A simple, double-ended retractor often used for skin and soft-tissue exposure in small to medium incisions.
What is an Army–Navy retractor?
A medium-sized clamp used for vessels and tissue.
What is a Kelly clamp?
A single curved tip connected to cautery, used for precise cutting and cauterizing tissue in a laparoscopic case.
What is a laparoscopic hook (hook cautery)?
What are Bonneys?
Delicate scissors used for fine tissue dissection.
What are Metzenbaum scissors?
A small handheld retractor with two curved blades (one shaped like a fork), commonly used in shallow incisions or to hold flaps in mastectomies.
What is a Senn retractor?
A small but powerful clamp used for temporary vascular occlusion.
What is a Bulldog clamp?
This fine, tapered instrument is used to gently dissect tissue planes during laparoscopy.
What is a Maryland dissector?
Forceps used in fine vascular dissection.
What are Geralds?