Medical Scissors, Surgical Shears, Bandage Scissors

What are Surgical Scissors?

Surgical scissors are designed for use in surgical and other medical procedures like trimming dead skin away from wounds in debridement, and removing bandages. They are distinguished from regular scissors by their sharpness and ability to be sterilized, as well as the variety of configurations and shapes of the blades for use in different medical applications. A material commonly used in surgical scissor construction is stainless steel because it is strong and durable. It can withstand a number of rounds of washing and autoclaving, and can hold an edge for an extended period of time. The blades can be curved, canted, or straight, with sharp or blunt ends for disparate purposes.

In the operating room, a surgeon can use surgical scissors to clip away dead or diseased material, dissect tissue, and manipulate different kinds of tissues. They can also be useful for preparing bandages and sutures. Like other surgical instruments, surgical scissors have a design which enables sterilization with no pits or cracks for bacteria to hide in, and their construction is durable enough to hold up to considerable heat in the autoclave. If they begin to lose their edges, surgical scissors can be sharpened.

What are Iris Scissors?

Iris scissors are very small, with a miniature and extremely sharp point made for the fine detail work of eye surgery. Some of them have straight blades while others have curved blades for certain types of precision tasks. Besides being used during eye surgeries, iris scissors can also be utilized for other types of surgical procedures, or in emergency rooms for various medical tasks. In autopsy and dissection facilities, they are often part of the tool kit since they are well suited for detail work, such as when wanting to examine an anatomical structure without damaging it with heavier or larger tools.

What are Bandage Scissors?

Bandage scissors are made of stainless steel, have an angled tip that is blunt at the edges, and sometimes have serrated blades. These scissors have many usage applications, but the three main uses are to trim bandages to a certain size, to help remove bandages from an individual, and to cut through clothing or gauze. The angled blades are very important when removing bandages since they angle away from anything beneath the cutting surface, such as the skin, so an injury does not happen. The blunt tips are also helpful to reduce the risk of piercing the skin when they are used to cut materials and clothing.

What are Mayo Scissors?

Mayo scissors are usually made from stainless steel, are typically around 6 inches long, have semi-blunt ends, and can have straight or curved blades. They are used in all types of surgery including podiatry and veterinary surgeries. Straight bladed mayo scissors are made for cutting body tissues near the surface of a wound, and for cutting sutures or stitches. Curved bladed mayo scissors allow deeper penetration into a wound than the straight blades. The curved scissors are used to cut thick tissues such as those found in muscles, the uterus, breast, and foot. They can also be used for dissection by placing them in the tissue with the tips closed, then opening them so the tips open and spread out the tissue during the dissection process. Mayo scissors are especially associated with cutting fascia, the tri-layered connective tissue between the skin and muscles.

Rehabmart is pleased to carry a variety of superior quality medical scissors from outstanding medical vendors, including Bird & Cronin Inc., North Coast, McKesson Medical-Surgical, and Independence Medical.

Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Co-Founder & CEO

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