Alternative Names: Mallet, hammer

Category: General

Purposes: Used for application of force, usually on another instrument, e.g., osteotome, bone graft impactor, chisel, etc.

Alternative Names: Fukishima, variable suction, regulated suction tip

Category: General

Purposes: Used for suction of fluids in confined spaces. Teardrop-shaped thumb hole allows regulated style of suction. Also used as a retractor, protection device, and blunt dissection tool when removing tumor or brain parenchyma.

Varieties: Straight or angled. Various diameters of tips.

Alternative Names: Yasargil micro scissors, micro scissors

Category: Scissors

Purposes: Used for cutting delicate soft tissue in confined spaces. Also used for micro dissection of arachnoid bands and adhesions in deep cranial and spinal cases.

Alternative Names: Lexer-Baby, Bonn, Kelly, iris scissors, micro dissecting scissors

Category: Scissors

Purposes: Useful for cutting very fine, delicate tissue, including vessels. Can be used to extend arteriotomies, isolate bypass grafts, etc.

Alternative Names: Jameson-Potts, Jamison-Metz, Jamison-Reynolds, tenotomies, long iris scissors

Category: Scissors

Purposes: Useful for cutting very fine, delicate tissue, including vessels. Can be used to extend arteriotomies, to isolate bypass grafts, in pediatric cases, etc.

Alternative Names: Lexer-Baby, Bonn, Kelly, iris scissors, micro dissecting scissors

Category: Scissors

Purposes: Useful for cutting very fine, delicate tissue, including vessels. Can be used to extend arteriotomies, to isolate bypass grafts, in pediatric cases, etc.

Alternative Names: Potts scissors, Potts-Smith, angled scissors, vascular scissors

Category: Scissors

Purposes: Used for cutting vessels, e.g., extending an arteriotomy or venotomy. Can also be used to cut fine, delicate tissue in deep, closed spaces, e.g., to extend dural opening in intramedullary spine or peripheral nerve cases.

Alternative Names: Hoyes micro scissors, Westcott scissors, micro scissors

Category: Scissors

Purposes: Used for cutting delicate soft tissue in confined spaces. Also used for micro dissection of arachnoid bands and adhesions in deep cranial and spinal cases.

Alternative Names: Bayonet scissors, aneurysm scissors

Category: Scissors

Purposes: Used for cutting delicate soft tissue in confined spaces. Also used for gross removal of large tumors or initial cuts in giant aneurysm sacs.

Alternative Names: Micro scissors, bayonet micro scissors

Category: Scissors

Purposes: Used for cutting delicate soft tissue in confined spaces. Also used for micro dissection of arachnoid bands and adhesions in deep cranial and spinal cases.

Alternative Name: Beaver blade

Category: Knives

Purposes: Used to isolate aneurysmal lesion from the parent circulation. Can also be used to ligate bleeding vessels unable to be cauterized, e.g., AVM cases or fistulous lesions, or for temporary occlusion of larger vessels during revascularization procedures, endarterectomies, and tumor resections. For aneurysms, clips can be loaded in various positions, e.g., curve down, angle up, legs up, etc. Newer appliers have adjustable, flexible, or rotating ends, making virtually all clip positions possible. A review of all available systems is beyond the scope of this guide.

Alternative Name: None

Category: Knives

Purposes: Used for fine dissection or cutting of delicate tissues. Useful in dissecting aneurysmal or other vascular lesions and adherent tumors, or in generalized sharp dissection. A sleeve is pulled over the blade for protection, given its delicate nature.

Alternative Names: Micro needle holder, micro locking needle holder

Category: Needle holders

Purposes: Microsurgical needle holder with locking mechanism reducing pressure required to hold needle. Spring-like opening of jaws when not locked. Used most commonly for microsuturing.

Alternative Names: Barraquer needle holder, Patton needle holder, Sklar micro needle holder, micro needle driver

Category: Needle holders

Purposes: Non-locking needle holder used for holding and manipulating small needles and suture in confined spaces. Most often used in microvascular, peripheral nerve, and intradural cases.

Alternative Names: Bayonet needle holder, bayonet micro needle holder

Category: Needle holders

Purposes: Non-locking bayonet needle holder used for holding and manipulating small needles and sutures in confined spaces. Most often used in microvascular, intradural, and peripheral nerve/re-anastomoses cases.

Varieties: Various lengths of arms. Various sizes of jaws.

Alternative Names: Pickups without teeth, Gerald without, Cushing forceps (incorrect)

Category: Forceps

Purposes: Non-traumatic grasping and holding forceps designed for very delicate tissue or vessels. Can be used to hold vessels or open the vessel lumen. Can also be used for handling tubing and other surgical implants and their cables.

Alternative Names: Jewelers, micro forceps

Category: Forceps

Purposes: Used to grasp and manipulate fine, delicate tissue, e.g., nerve or vessels, or as a micro-needle holder. Often used in microvascular, intradural, and peripheral nerve/re-anastomosis procedures.

Alternative Names: Round jeweler’s forceps, round micro forceps

Category: Forceps

Purposes: Used for grasping and manipulating fine, delicate tissue, e.g., nerve or vessels, or as a micro-needle holder. Often used in microvascular, intradural spine, and peripheral nerve/re-anastomosis procedures. Round shaft allows rotation of instrument.

Alternative Names: Cushing bipolars, Rhoton forceps, Malis bipolars, bayonet, bipolar forceps, bipolars

Category: Forceps

Purposes: Coagulation of tissue between the tips of the forceps, which must be in close contact to allow current to flow through tissue. Variable current allows highly tailored effectiveness. Can be used as a dissection instrument or for general grasping of delicate tissue.

Alternative Names: Straight Cushing bipolars, straight Rhoton forceps, straight Malis bipolars, straight bipolar forceps, straight bipolars

Category: Forceps

Purposes: Coagulation of tissue between the tips of the forceps, which must be in close contact to allow current to flow through tissue. Variable current allows highly tailored effectiveness. Can be used as a dissection instrument or for general grasping of delicate tissue.

Alternative Names: DeBakey clamp, carotid clamp, bulldog clamp, angled clamp

Category: Clamps

Purposes: Used for temporary occlusion of large blood vessels. Most commonly used for common carotid artery occlusion during endarterectomies, intraoperative internal carotid artery access, etc.

Alternative Names: Right angle, right angle hemostat, right angle snap, right angle Adson clamp, right angle Crile clamp

Category: Clamps

Purposes: Used for dissecting and isolating delicate soft tissues, especially around vessels and nerves. Often used to grasp tying sutures to pull them underneath these structures in preparation for ligation. Also used for dissecting tissue underneath or around structures.

Alternative Names: Vein retractor, Cushing retractor, Sachs retractor

Category: Retractors

Purposes: Retraction, lifting, or isolation of delicate soft tissue and vessels.

Alternative Names: Dural hook, dural elevator, micro hook, Adson hook, Fisch hook (incorrect)

Category: Retractors

Purposes: Used for retraction and sharp dissection of fine, delicate soft tissue. Most often used to elevate tissues, especially dura. Very sharp and should be handled and exchanged with care.

Alternative Names: Mayo-Adams retractor, cervical retractor

Category: Retractors

Purposes: Used for retraction of skin and soft tissues to allow for improved visualization. Used most commonly in cervical spine exposures, but can be used in any small exposure.

Alternative Names: Fixation base, snake holder, snake charmer

Category: Retractors

Purposes: Fits on the end of the Leyla bar and allows the attachment of one to three flexible arms.

Alternative Names: Fixation base, snake holder, snake charmer

Category: Retractors

Purposes: Fits on the end of the Leyla bar and allows the attachment of one to three flexible arms.

Varieties: Number of attachment sites for flexible arms.