Medical Procedure Instruments

Physicians and other medical professionals perform a variety of different medical and surgical procedures on a daily basis, and they use various types of medical equipment and instruments to carry out these procedures. Some of these procedures may take place in a physician's office or medical clinic, while others are held in a surgery setting.

Hemostats

• Hemostats are surgical tools used in medical and surgical procedures to control bleeding. They are often used inside the incision to close blood vessels temporarily until the surgeon closes them. These tools come in a multitude of sizes, lengths and shapes with different curves at the tips, as well as interlocking teeth that form a locking mechanism at the tips.

Speculum

• A speculum is a medical instrument used for investigating body cavities --- most commonly the vaginal area during an exam of the reproductive organs. It allows entry into a body cavity and gives direct vision to the cervix during procedures such as a pap smear or even during in-vitro fertilization. It can also be used during anal surgery to allow a physician to examine the lower rectum.

Cannula

• A cannula is a small tub inserted into the body and most commonly used to deliver or remove fluids. For example, when nurses or lab technicians start an IV on a patient, they use a venous cannula, which they insert into a vein to administer IV fluids. An arterial cannula, inserted directly into an artery, plays a role in major operations and drawing blood samples. Another example is a nasal cannula, which is a more flexible tube with short, open-ended branches inserted into a patient's mouth for the delivery of oxygen.

Scalpel

• A scalpel is used in medical surgical procedures to make the incision. This small, sharp-bladed instrument can be reusable or disposable. Reusable scalpels will have attached blades that may be changed. The blades of a scalpel are made of material such as hardened steel, stainless steel, titanium or ceramic.