What Are The 4 Most Common Types of Veterinary Surgical Instruments

According to the statistics by Global Market Insights Inc., by 2030, the value of the veterinary surgery tools market will reach 2.3 billion. 

The manufacturers produce thousands of veterinary surgical instruments each year. Actually, it all depends on the needs of veterinary practice.

Veterinarians require different veterinary instruments to carry out procedures on the animals. However, four types of these tools are frequently used by veterinary practitioners.

Veterinary surgical scissors, retractors, forceps, and needle holders are the most commonly used veterinary tools. Each of these types has further sub-categories and variations. 

Well, here, we’ll have an overview of these common veterinary surgical tools.

Frequently Used Veterinary Surgical Instruments 

Among the categories of veterinary surgical tools, four types of instruments are must-haves for veterinary surgeons. These include:

• Scissors
• Retractors
• Forceps
• Needle Holders 

Let’s discuss them one by one.

1. Veterinary Surgical Scissors

Surgical scissors are the most common and multi-purpose veterinarians' tools. Basically, scissors are cutting and dissecting instruments. These come in multiple types and variations. In different surgeries, veterinary surgeons use surgical scissors to make incisions, cuts, and dissections. 

However, each type of veterinary scissors has its specialty according to its use. For instance, Metzenbaum scissors cannot be used in place of bandage scissors and vice versa.

The 3 most common veterinary surgical scissors are as follows.

• Mayo Dissecting Scissors

The Mayo dissecting veterinary scissors are ideal for the veterinarian to cut dense tissues and sometimes bony structures. These cutting and dissecting veterinary surgery instruments feature sharp blades, bunt tips, and finger ring handles.

Veterinary surgeons can get Mayo scissors in super sharp, superCut, and tungsten carbide blade patterns.

Moreover, these scissors come in straight as well as curved designs

• Metzenbaum Scissors

The Metzenbaum Veterinary Scissors are specially designed for cutting and dissecting delicate tissues. These feature a long shank-to-blade ratio. Like Mayo scissors, Metz are also available in multiple patterns.

   

• Bandage Scissors 

Bandage scissors are veterinary instruments helpful for cutting and removing bandages from animals' fractures and wounds. These are also helpful in cutting drapes and sizing dressings.  

The two major types of bandage scissors include Lister bandage scissors and Hi-level bandage scissors.

The Lister bandage scissors are special for removing circumferential bandages. On the other hand, the high-level pattern helps cut and remove the hard and tough bandages from the animal skin. 

Apart from that, dozens of other surgical scissors are helpful in veterinary practice. 

2. Veterinary Surgical Retractors

Retractors come under the category of spreading and retracting veterinary surgical instruments. These tools help veterinary surgeons expose the surgery area by holding back the impeding biological structures. 

There are various types of these veterinary surgery tools. The two major categories include:

• Self-retaining Retractors

This type of retractor can stay in place for longer by holding back the edges of incisions and wounds, and other bodily structures during veterinary procedures. 

These feature a ratchet-lock or speed lock mechanism that helps adjust the instruments to the desired position. 

Gelpi-retractors are an excellent example of self-retraining veterinary surgical retractors. 

• Hand-held Retractors 

Hand-held retractors are usually single-piece veterinary tools. Like the self-retaining patterns, these feature no locking mechanism. Veterinary practitioners have to hold these retractors throughout the Veterinary surgical procedure. 

These are ideal for surgeries that require little time. Chandler retractors and Hohman retractors are the common examples to mention. 

3. Veterinary Surgical Forceps

Forceps come under the category of grasping and holding veterinary surgery instruments. They come in several patterns.

Surgical forceps are helpful for veterinary practitioners in manipulating and handling tissues and some other bodily structures during different procedures.

The serrated and toothed beaks of the forceps ensure a firm grip on the bodily structures. 

In addition, some kinds of veterinary forceps are ideal for grasping blood vessels to prevent blood loss during surgeries. 

The examples include 

• Allis Tissue Forceps
• Hartman Alligator Forceps
• Thumb Tissue Forceps
• Russian Tissue Forceps
• Debakey Thoracic Tissue Forceps 
• Kelly Hemostatic Forceps
• Bone Holding Forceps
• Plain Splinter Forceps
• Halsted Mosquito Forceps 

4. Needle Holders

Needle holders are veterinary surgical instruments helpful in driving the suturing needles while stitching wounds and incisions of animals. There are several patterns and designs of these veterinary tools. They also come with a scissors combination. 

Usually, the needle holders feature serrated beaks for gripping the needles firmly.

The important types of these veterinary surgical tools include:

• Olsen Hegar Needle Holder Scissors Combination 
• Heaney Needle Holder
• Mathieu Olsen Hegar Needle Holder 
• Mayo Hegar Needle Holder Serrated 
• Castroviejo Needle Holder 
• Crile Wood Needle Holder 

Always Buy High-Quality Veterinary Instruments 

A perfect tool guarantees a perfect procedure. Most importantly, performing surgeries on animals is far more difficult than carrying out procedures on humans. However, surgical instruments for both purposes should be of high quality. 

Being a veterinary practitioner, you must be familiar with the quality standards of surgical instruments besides knowing their different types, designs, and patterns. 

Moreover, you should be intimate with the manufacturers and suppliers of the quality veterinary surgical instruments. GerVetUSA Inc. is one of the most reliable manufacturers of veterinary surgical tools since the last three decades. 

They offer all kinds of veterinarians’ tools in multiple sizes and designs. Additionally, their instruments are made of German stainless steel for the improved durability.  

FAQs:

Is it suitable to use Bandage Scissors in place of Mayo Scissors?

No, bandage scissors are only meant to remove bandages and cut dressings and drapes. Instead of using Mayo scissors, if you try to dissect tissues with bandage scissors, it can lead to serious trauma to the animal under the procedure.

What are the materials used for manufacturing veterinary instruments? 

European-grade or surgical-grade stainless steel, tungsten carbide inserts, and titanium coating are commonly used for manufacturing veterinary surgical instruments. 

What comes under cutting and dissecting veterinary tools?

Surgical scissors, scalpels, blades, and knives are included in the category of cutting and dissecting veterinary surgery instruments.