Choosing The Right Surgical Blade For Your Operating Room

Choosing The Right Surgical Blade For Your Operating Room

When it comes to performing surgery, there are a lot of choices among the various tools. But choosing the right surgical blade in terms of types, handles, shapes, etc is quite challenging. Though the blades are different from each other when it comes to shape and size, some models are made specifically for certain purposes. To make the right choice, it is necessary to consider all the factors.

The blade is the most important thing used in surgery. Hence, it needs to be tremendously sharp to cut the tissues effectively. Getting the correct scalpel can make a huge difference in the success of the surgery. The blade is constantly trying to implement better and more high-quality tools to gain success in surgeries.

What is a surgical blade?

Surgical blades are the types of blades that are used in surgical rooms during operation. It requires a lot of sharpness as it is used to cut human tissues and skin efficiently. An operation room consists of everything which includes surgical instruments, surgical lighting, and so on. These blades are used in all types of surgeries whether it is minimally invasive surgery or some other procedures. The instrument is developing various types of good-quality blades that can ease the operation process.

Types of Blades

Various types of blades are used for surgeries. Having the right blade can make a huge difference. The different types of blades are #10, 11, 12, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. Each scalpel is used for different purposes.

The most commonly used scalpel is 10. It can make large cuts through the skin and the subcutaneous tissues. Blade 20 is somewhat similar to Blade 10 but 20 is used for much larger incisions. It is mostly used to cut through the thicker tissues. Blade 15 is used for smaller incisions whereas blades 22 and 23 are used for bigger incisions such as in laparotomy or thoracotomy.

Blade 11 is triangular and has a sharp point. It is also known as a stabbing blade as it is used to make stab-style incisions. Blade 12 is a curvy-shaped blade that is mostly used to remove sutures. This can also be used to hook something on a stalk. The Surgical Blades are developing scalpels that are thinner and more flexible to make operations easier and smoother.

Things to keep in mind while choosing the right Surgical blade

 Surgical blade handles 

The handle and the surgical blades are mostly bought separately. Based on the procedure that the surgeon will perform, the handles can be attached along with the blades. The handles come in different sizes, lengths, and weights so that the surgeon can get enough balance, precision, and visibility. The different versions of surgical scalpels range from number 3 to 9. The 3 and 4 handles are flat and long whereas the 5, 6, and 8 handles are wide at their base. The #9 has a long and slender base and #7 has the shape of a writing pen. The designs are specifically done based on the blades and their sizes.

Materials

The quality of the material and the technology used to make the cutting of the edge play an important role in the making of a surgical scalpel. Earlier, surgical scalpels were made out of silver but now steel is the material that is widely used. The manufacturers mostly use tempered steel, stainless steel, or carbon steel to make scalpels. Out of these, carbon steel blades have received the best remark.

There are some procedures where steel material cannot be used. For instance, in the MRI process, steel surgical blades cannot be used by the team as they can cause image artifacts. Steel is a great material to use in scalpels as it is cost-effective and resists rust. However, ceramic blades recently launched in the market and still now need to go through a lot of improvement for their durability.

The shape of the blade

The shape of the blade depends on the type of operation the experts are going to perform. The blades are numbered as each has its feature. There are three main types of shapes that you will see on the scalpels. They are:

• Edge- The edge of the scalpel is the cutting surface. The surgeon will have better control if they feel is better which in turn will result in a precise and consistent incision.
• Slot- The replaceable version is one of the most typical surgical scalpels. It consists of a key-like slot that is responsible for snapping the blade into the handle. This helps the surgeon to use it according to their needs.
• Spine- This is referred to as a surgical knife that is not sharpened and has a ridged edge.

Conclusion

The right research can only help to make sure that your team is well-equipped with the surgical tools. Better tools will not only help to increase productivity but also ensure great care of the patients along with surgical instruments and other medical devices.