Instruments at a Glance

Instrument name: Adhesive Dressing

Alternate name: Tegaderm

Instrument category: Accessory

Used for: Dressing to protect wound

Specialty commonly used in: Any procedure that requires a dressing

Instrument name: Adson Forceps with Teeth

Alternate name: 1X2 Adson, Adson Pickup

Instrument category: Forceps

Used for: Grabbing tissue or skin

Specialty commonly used in: All surgical specialties

Instrument name: Allis Clamp

Alternate name: Allis tissue forcep

Instrument category: Clamps

Used for: Grasping and holding tissue without crushing

Specialty commonly used in: General surgery, gynecology, and otolaryngology

Instrument name: Army Navy Retractor

Alternate name: USA Retractor, US Army

Instrument category: Retractors

Used for: Retracting tissue superficially

Specialty commonly used in: All surgical specialties

Instrument name: Babcock Clamp

Alternate name: Babcock tissue

Instrument category: Clamps

Used for: Grasping and holding tissue without crushing

Specialty commonly used in: General and gynecology surgery

Instrument name: Balfour Abdominal Retractor

Alternate name: Self-retainer

Instrument category: Retractors

Used for: Self-retaining tissue retracting. Can have a lower blade or upper arm attachment for additional retracting.

Specialty commonly used in: General and gynecologic surgery

Instrument name: Bone Rasp

Alternate name:

Instrument category: Bone Instruments

Used for: Cutting through and removing bone

Specialty commonly used in: Orthopedic, neuro, and spine surgery

Instrument name: Cushing Vein and Nerve Retractor

Alternate name:

Instrument category: Retractors

Used for: Blunt and superficial retracting of tissue to provide visualization of surgical site

Specialty commonly used in: General, pediatric, plastic, and vascular surgery

Instrument name: Deaver Retractor

Alternate name:

Instrument category: Retractors

Used for: Holding back abdominal contents and providing exposure to surgical site

Specialty commonly used in: General, gynecologic, and urologic surgery

Instrument name: Disposable 11 Blade

Alternate name: Knife

Instrument category: Scalpels

Used for: Creating an incision in the skin

Specialty commonly used in: All types of surgery, but a disposable blade is commonly used in procedural areas where there is not an instrument tray opened

Instrument name: Green Loop Retractor

Alternate name: Thyroid retractor, green goiter retractor

Instrument category: Retractors

Used for: Retracting tissue to provide visualization of surgical site

Specialty commonly used in: General, pediatric, plastic, and vascular surgery

Instrument name: Halstead Clamp

Alternate name: Hemostat, Mosquito, Hartmann, Halsted, Jacobson, Jake, Crile

Instrument category: Clamps

Used for: Grasping and holding tissue without crushing

Specialty commonly used in: All surgical specialties

Instrument name: Hasson Trocar

Alternate name: Hasson Obturator, Hasson, open technique trocar, open trocar

Instrument category: Endoscopic

Used for: Gaining access to the cavity during laparoscopic surgery by using direct visualization to place the trocar before establishing a pneumoperitoneum.

Specialty commonly used in: Laparoscopic surgery for general, gynecologic, and thoracic

Instrument name: Hemoclip Applier

Alternate name: Hemoclip, ligaclip, open hemoclip applier

Instrument category: Staplers and Clips

Used for: Stapling tissue or vessels

Specialty commonly used in: All surgery when a clip is needed for hemostasis

Instrument name: Kelly Clamp

Alternate name: Crile, Hemostat, Kelly Artery

Instrument category: Clamps

Used for: Grasping and holding tissue without crushing

Specialty commonly used in: All surgical specialties

Instrument name: Knife Handle with 10 Blade

Alternate name: #3 knife

Instrument category: Scalpels

Used for: Creating an incision

Specialty commonly used in: General, orthopedic, cardiothoracic, urologic, and gynecologic surgery

Instrument name: Knife Handle with 11 Blade

Alternate name: Long knife handle, #3 knife

Instrument category: Scalpels

Used for: Creating an incision

Specialty commonly used in: Otolaryngology, orthopedic, and urologic surgery

Instrument name: Knife Handle with 15 Blade

Alternate name: #3 knife

Instrument category: Scalpels

Used for: Creating an incision

Specialty commonly used in: Otolaryngology, plastic, minor, vascular, orthopedic, general, gynecologic, and urologic surgery

Instrument name: Kocher Clamp

Alternate name: Ochsner, Kocher, Rochester Ochsner, Ochsner Artery

Instrument category: Clamps

Used for: Grasping, holding, and crushing heavy tissue

Specialty commonly used in: General surgery and gynecological surgery, but can also be used to hold a peanut for blunt dissection

Instrument name: Laparoscopic Linear Stapling Device

Alternate name:

Instrument category: Laparoscopic

Used for: Grasping, holding, cutting, and stapling tissue

Specialty commonly used in: All laparoscopic surgery when transection or resection is needed3