Surgical Accessories

Surgical Accessories can vary widely by the field of surgery that they are used in. In general instruments can be divided into five classes by function:

1. Cutting and dissecting instruments:
   • Scalpels, scissors, and saws are the most traditional
   • Elevators can be both cutting and lifting/retracting
   • Although the term dissection is broad energy Surgical Accessories such as diathermy/cautery are often used as more modern alternatives.
2. Grasping or holding instruments:
   • Classically this included forceps and clamps predominantly
   • Roughly forceps can be divided in traumatic (tissue crushing) and atraumatic (tissue preserving, such as Debakey's)
   • Numerous examples are available for different purposes by field
3. Hemostatic instruments:
   • This includes instruments utilized for the cessation of bleeding
   • Artery extractor are a classic example within which hurt is halted by direct clamping of a vessel
   • Sutures are usually used, motor-assisted by a needle holder
   • Cautery and connected Surgical Accessories are used with increasing frequency in high resource countries