C-Section Surgical Tools

A Cesarean section, or c-section as they are most commonly known, is major surgery. It is performed as an incision in the abdomen to deliver an infant from a mother's uterus when the infant is in an unfavorable position that makes a vaginal delivery impossible, or when there may be risks to the infant and/or mother.

Retractors

• Retractors are used to pull back the incision to help the surgeons better get to the uterus to complete the surgery. The bladder blade, a part of the retractor family, helps to keep the bladder out of the way of the operating field.

  Retractors have a finger ring, finger rest, and a shaft, and some have two sharp prongs at the top. Some types of retractors have sharp jaws at the top instead of sharp prongs.

Clamps

• A hemostat clamp helps to control bleeding, which is the use of most clamps during a surgery such as this. Clamps are used after the infant is delivered, to hold the umbilical cord for cutting.

  Needle drivers and other types of clamps usually have teeth and shanks, which resemble those of scissors, and finger rings at the bottom to hold them easily.

Forceps

• The Adson forceps and Russian forceps are used for clamping delicate tissue during surgery, and some types of forceps help in the delivery of the infant if need be, by fitting onto the infant's head and gently being pulled by the surgeon. This is in instances when the infant gets stuck or if there is difficulty getting into the incision to pull the infant out by hand.

  Some types of forceps can resemble tweezers, with serrations, or teeth, that are helpful in holding tissue tightly. They also have jaws, a grooved grip area, and a spring part.

Scalpel

• Scalpels are small, sharp knives that are used to make incisions during surgery.

  Scalpels consist of a shank, or handle, a grooved area for gripping, and a blade seating area, where the knife blade itself attaches. They also have a number for identification purposes.

Scissors

• Operating scissors are used for cutting organ tissue, skin tissue, and gauze for bandaging after surgery.

  Operating scissors resemble regular scissors, though some may have particular serrated tips or edges that are better for the cutting jobs they are used for.

Staples

• Staples are used to close the incision when surgery is complete. Using staples to close an incision is usually quicker and has less risk of infection than regular stitches do.

  Surgical staples resemble regular staples used in office staplers, except they are larger and more durable.