The 12 Common Orthopedic Instruments for Surgery

Orthopedics is a branch of medicine in which deformities related to muscles and bones are treated.

Orthopedics is a branch of medicine in which deformities related to muscles and bones are treated. A variety of orthopedic instruments has been used by surgeons worldwide. Each instrument differs from the other in size, design, and quality. They are in great demand all across the world. Thousands of orthopedic instruments are available in the market nowadays. They are costly and specifically designed. Medical companies work together with biomedical scientists to innovate them. Which instrument should be selected by the surgeon is decided after the complete diagnosis of the abnormality.

Here we will discuss the 12 most commonly used orthopedic instruments:

2. Bone nibbler:

Design: Description of the design.
Function: Description of the function.
Types:
1. Type 1
2. Type 2

2. Bone lever:

Design: It is long, flat, and smooth with one end twisted to hold the bone and exert pressure.
Function: It is used to lift the bone during the procedure. It helps in counterpoising the process of orthopedic surgery.
Types:
1. Straight
2. Curved
3. Double-ended
4. Mallet handled

3. Osteotomes:

Design: They come in a range of shapes and sizes. They are long and made of stainless steel with a sharp end. Their handles may be of stainless steel or are phenolic.
Function: Their main function is to cut bones and prepare them for surgery. And also to remove strips of soft bone and help in harvesting bone.
Types:
1. Straight
2. Curved
3. Gouge
4. Serrated
5. Mallet-handed

4. Bone file:

Design: It is an instrument with a single handle. It always has a flat end side with a rough surface. And some have forward and backward-cutting teeth.
Function: It helps in removing the ridges and shaping the bones. And also for cleaning bones. Some of them have two working ends.
Types: They have no specific type but are of numerous shapes and designs.

5. Retractors:

Design: They are of numerous sizes and shapes. They can be handheld and self-retaining. Their design and size depend upon the type and location of infection.
Function: They are essential for holding back the soft tissues during surgery. They stabilize the whole process and help in protecting the site of operation from any kind of injury and infection.
Types: They have several types based on the complexity of the injury. Some are small and some are large. While some are of simple design and some are of complex nature.

6. Elevators:

Design: It has a long phenolic handle with a sharp end.
Function: As the name shows it is used to elevate bone during surgery and to expose the fracture side. They provide flexibility to the working environment.
Types:
1. Periosteal
2. Root Tip
3. Mucoperiosteal
4. Apical

7. Bone awls:

Design: They are short. Their end is sharp and pointed and sometimes may be curved.
Function: They are used to penetrate bone during surgical procedures. They are also used to open bone canals and to insert pins.
Types:
1. Straight
2. Curved
3. T-Handle

8. Bone hooks:

Design: It is long with different styles; may be curved or specifically angled with sharp or blunt ends.
Function: They have multiple functions. They are used to apply traction or to reduce fractures in large bones.
Types:
1. Sharp Bone
2. Blunt Bone
3. Double-Pronged

9. Bone-holding forceps:

Design: They may consist of a speed lock or ratchet. They have a scissor-like structure with a strong grip. The blades of scissors may be plain, serrated, and toothed.
Function: It has multiple functions. It plays a supporting role in every surgical procedure. It is used to hold and rotate the bones. It is also used to position bone screws during surgery.
Types:
1. Kern Bone
2. Lane Bone
3. Verbrugge
4. Lempert Bone
5. Reduction Forceps

10. Bone Curettes:

Design: They are long and may have a spoon-shape end. The last end is usually sharp for cutting and removing. They are available in different shapes such as round and oval and designs such as curved, angled, or straight.
Function: They are used to remove the outer layer of bone to give it shape and to clean it. And also to remove dead or infected bone materials for biopsy: collecting samples of bone parts to analyze.
Types:
1. Ring Curette
2. Bruns Curette
3. Volkmann Curette
4. Lucas Curette

11. Bone Mallets:

Design: Handles are usually made of plastic for a strong grip and usually long enough for a two-handed grip.
Function: It is used to exert force on the bone to position it and to insert other surgical instruments in the bone. The head is cylindrical and may be made up of non-metallic materials to reduce damage to bones.
Types:
1. Heavy-duty
2. Soft-faced
3. Standard

12. Tamps:

Design: They are cylindrical in shape and one side is convex or flat with a handle made up of tough material.
Function: They help to carry out different procedures during surgery like bone grafting, creating cavities in bone, and to replacing material.
Types:
1. Expandable Bone Tamps
2. Cannulated Bone Tamps
3. Curved Bone Tamps

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