There are over 5000+ different types of instruments, ranging from simple single piece instruments to more complex retractors, all for different surgical uses, often coming in different lengths and shapes i.e. Straight and curved.

There are several classes of surgical instrument available from Marsafsurgical, from many well-known brands. The most common are as follows:

• Artery forceps – Spencer Wells, Crile, Halstead, Heiss, Cairns, Adsons, Dunhill, Moynihan, Lawson Tait, Roberts, Fraser Kelly, Rochester Pean.
• Dissecting forceps – Waugh, Adsons, Dunhill, Gillies, Jeans, Mcindoe, Treves, Jackson Burrows.
• Tissue forceps – Allis, Littlewood, Babcock, Duval, Lanes, Rutherford Morrison, Shaw.
• Clamps – Blalock, Dieffenbach, Debakey, Satinsky, Derra, Cooley.
• Retractors – Travers, West, Goligher, Miles, Pozzi, Gelpi, Collin, Berkeley, Gossett’s, Jol, Balfour, Norfolk & Norwich, Irwin, Kocher, Weitlander, Volkmann.
• Scissors – Littler, Kilner, Mayo, Mayo Harrington, Metzenbaum, Boyd, Heath, Strabismus, Fergussons, Thomas Strabismus.
• Needle holders – Mayo-Hegar, Derf, Halsey, Macphail’s, Mathieu, Rochester Mayo, Kilner, Bruce Clarkes, Crile Wood, Lawrence, Norton Morgan. 
• Towel clips – Spring, Jones, Shardles, Backhaus, Moynihan, Ball and Socket.
• Dissectors and probes – Macdonald, Brodie, Watson Cheyne, Jobson Horne. 

Most surgical instruments are manufactured from stainless steel. Previously before stainless Steel, they would have been manufactured from Carbon steel and plated. This was not ideal as the plating could flake off.

The nomenclature of surgical instruments are defined normally by the inventor of the instrument, followed by where the instrument is used and finally the type. For instance in the case of the Spencer Wells Artery Forcep, Spencer wells is the original surgeon that invented the Spencer wells back in the late 1800s, Artery is where the device is used and finally, it is determined to be a ‘forcep’.

You should always follow manufacturers guidance in the first instance, along with any local protocol such as HTM 01-01.

No, there are stainless steels which are more suitable for use as surgical instruments, mostly defined as the 420 range of stainless steel (BS 5194).

Surgical instruments are made from stainless steel which contains iron and carbon. If left wet, they will rust or start to corrode. However, there are multiple potential issues that could also cause this such as blood/bioburden, chemistries used for washing, quality of sterilising steam, quality of washing water, passivation of the instrument.

Yes! Proceed with extreme caution. Laser marking can expose free iron and if this free iron is not oxidised before the instruments are washed, they will show signs of rust. Take advice from the ABHI or your instrument company.

Both are quite different. With monopolar the current flows through the patient, utilising a patient return pad. This can mean risks of burns is higher with monopolar. With bipolar, less energy is used and the circuit is created only by touching the instruments. Bipolar is generally used in more delicate procedures. Both instrument types are connected to a power source.