Basic Neurosurgical Trays

Chapter 3: Basic Neurosurgical Trays

Despite the vast array of neurosurgical procedures that are performed from head to toe, most neurosurgical procedures can be done with the use of basic instrument sets, which may be somewhat tailored to the procedure. The three most common neurosurgical instrument sets are cranial, spine, and transsphenoidal. At some institutions, a trauma instrument tray may be available, but often the cranial set can be used in its place. Academic institutions, at least in the United States, will often have a litany of more specific instrument trays available for more specific procedures, e.g., functional, peripheral nerve, CSF shunts, neurovascular, carotid, cerebral revascularization, minimally invasive, complex spine, and others.

The following lists of basic neurosurgical instrument sets are only meant as a starting point and are not meant to define what these sets should be, but to illustrate what they could be. Every conceivable instrument that could be placed in a “basic” set is not listed here. Images and descriptions of these instruments are contained throughout the rest of this guide. The numbers of instruments to include frequently depend on the allotted and available budget. Normally, each set can contain one of each variety of scissors, curettes, dissectors, and rongeurs, while clamps, forceps, suction tips, retractors, and elevators are usually present in multiple numbers of the same type. Several companies and worldwide distributors offer start-up sets that are able to fit most budgets. The World Federation of Neuro-surgeons also has basic neurosurgical instrument sets available to parts of the world that lack sufficient supply and capital.

Basic Cranial or Trauma Instrument Set

Scissors

Adson ganglion 6¼″

Malis neurological 7″ curved

Mayo 6¾″ curved beveled

Metzenbaum 7″ curved

Potts-DeMartel 7¼″ 45°

Shark Edge Mayo-Stille 6¾″ straight

Needle holders

Mayo-Hegar 6″ heavy

Ryder 6″ X-Del

Ryder 7″ X-Del