For safety and comfort concerns, the tools are made with as few pieces as possible.Hand surgery emerged as a specialty during World War II, and the tools used by early hand surgeons remain in common use today, and many are identified by the names of those who created them.Individual tools have diverse history development. Below is a brief history of the inventors and tools created for five commonly used surgical tools. Scissors
Mayo scissors, created by one of the mayo brothers, was one of the inventions of the Mayo clinic (established by Dr.William Worrall Mayo and his two sons, Dr. William James Mayo and Dr. Charles Horace Mayo in the 1880s). Mayo scissors have semi-blunt ends and they are either straight or curve-bladed. The straight blades are used for cutting tissue near wounds, and curves are used for cutting thick tissue. Metzenbaum scissors were invented by Myron Metzenbaum (1876-1944). This tool was widely used for tonsillectomy (the surgical removal of the tonsils). The lighter and longer handle allows it to be used in tighter operating fields. Knife to Scalpel to Electrocautery
Primitive knives were made of perishable materials such as sharp leaf margins or bamboo. After the Dark Ages, Muslims, and later European countries started to develop surgical instruments, scalpels, for cutting. In 1904, King Gillette developed a double-edged safety razor blade with a disposable blade.
Needle drivers(needle holders)
Tools used to hold suture needle while it is passed through tissue and to grasp suture while instrument knot tying. Retractors, used to spread open skin, ribs and other tissue
Tools for various purposes depending on the condition. Retractors can be used to expose incision openings, hold tissue back, or maintain operating areas. They can be categorized into either hand-held retractors or self-retaining ones (via a ratcheting mechanism) (e.g., Deaver retractor, Weitlaner retractor, Malleable Retractor). Distractors, positioners and stereotactic devices
Mechanical cutters (scalpels, lancets, trocars, Harmonic scalpel, rongeurs etc.) Dilators and specula, for access to narrow passages or incisions
Suction tips and tubes, for removal of bodily fluids
Tools used to remove secretion, debris, or any fluid in the surgical area. (e.g. Yankauer Suction Tube, Poole Suction Tube, Frazier Suction Tip)
Sealing devices, such as surgical staplers
Tools used for resection (Removing part of an organ), transaction (Cutting through and sealing organs and tissues), and anastomoses (Creating connections between structures). (e.g. linear stapler, linear cutter, clips)
Irrigation and injection needles, tips and tubes, for introducing fluid
Powered devices, such as cranial drills and dermatomes
Scopes and probes, including fiber optic endoscopes and tactile probes
Carriers and appliers for optical, electronic, and mechanical devices
Ultrasound tissue disruptors, cryotomes and cutting laser guides
Measurement devices, such as rulers and calipers
Energy systems tools are used to cut tissues or seal vesselsElectrosurgery is a modern technology that uses high frequency electrical current to cut or coagulate blood. Argon plasma coagulation involves the application of gas discharges in argon.