(About Dilators and Probes)
Instrument usage: Dilators and probes are considered accessory and ancillary instruments. They are used to enhance the use of basic instruments or to facilitate the procedure.1 Dilators are made of malleable copper and brass, while probes can be plated with chromium or silver.2 Dilators, with their blunt tapered tips, are used to gradually enlarge an orifice through progressive dilatation.3 Probes are used to explore a structure, opening, or tract, such as a wound or a fistula, or to locate an obstruction.2,3 Probes are most often blunt, malleable, and wire-like.3 Both types of instruments can be used to tunnel and create passages under the skin.2 Dilators and probes come in an array of sizes and shapes that can be used in many surgical specialties.
Key differences:
Dilators and probes should be organized on the sterile field in incremental size order from smallest to largest.3 It is important to look at the shaft of the dilator or handle of the probe to see the imprinted number or size. The sizes are usually in the French scale (F).3
Water-based lubricant is commonly used with dilators, so it should be available on the sterile field.
Uterine/cervical dilators and lacrimal probes are double-ended, meaning they have two working ends, such as 9-10F or 13-14F uterine dilator or a 000-00 lacrimal probe.
Some dilators, such as urethral dilators, come in male and female due to the differences in anatomy, so it would be vital to know the sex of the patient prior to opening the dilators onto the sterile field.
The probe and grooved director are commonly used together so that the grooved director can guide the probe.3
Balloon dilators, such as a dilating balloon, are disposable and have a balloon tip that inflates to dilate.
Safety on the sterile field:
Dilators and probes should be organized in size order on the sterile field.
Dilators and probes should be wiped with sterile water and any debris should be removed before using again.
When passing a dilator or probe during the procedure, it is important to verbally indicate the size to the surgeon.
Instrument names:
Dilators and probes are commonly called by their name and intended use, such as “cervical dilator” or “lacrimal probe.” The surgeon may call it by the number representing the size of the dilator, such as “number 9-10 cervical dilator” or a “double zero.”
References:
1. Rothrock, Jane C. Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2018.
2. Phillips, Nancymarie. Berry & Kohn's operating room technique. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2016.
3. Nemitz, Renee. Surgical Instrumentation-eBook: An Interactive Approach. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2017.