American Surgical Instruments

Historians have examined the development of surgical techniques and of the surgical profession itself, but have paid scant attention to the tools that made surgery. Surgeon and historian Kirkup (honorary curator, Royal College of Surgeons, UK) demonstrates how surgical instruments as sophisticated as ultrasound or lasers began as teeth, mouth, fists, fingernails, and fingers. Far from being a compendium drawn from instrument catalogs, this volume is a masterpiece of scholarship. The instruments are situated in the surgical theory and practice of their times. Kirkup's skill and devotion in his presentation and description raise the work from a register to a natural history of the instruments. (The only caveat is that some pictures are not for the squeamish.) An extensive bibliography and an excellent index add to the book's value.

The Evolution of Surgical Instruments is the first comprehensive work on the subject published in over sixty years and arguably the most important general history of surgical instruments ever published. The only prior work on the subject, C. J. S. Thompson's The History and Evolution of Surgical Instruments (1942) attempted to cover the entire history in only 113 pages. Elisabeth Bennion's Antique Medical Instruments (1979) concentrated chiefly upon the aesthetic aspects of medical and surgical instruments to 1870. James Edmonson's comprehensive history, American Surgical Instruments (1997), focused on instruments manufactured in the United States up to 1900.

Make sure you can identify the many different types of surgical instruments! Surgical Instruments: A Pocket Guide, 4th Edition is a quick "go-to" source for information on over 160 of the most commonly used surgical instruments. Each two-page spread features full-color photos of an instrument and its tip (if applicable), and then describes how it is used, its common variations, and any alternative names. Written by Maryann Papanier Wells, this compact, durable reference is easy to keep with you at all times. With instruments alphabetized within each major instrument class, locating specific information has never been easier! Two-page spreads show a single instrument, its tip (if applicable), name, uses in surgery, varieties, and any alternative names. Instruments are organized alphabetically within 12 major categories for quick and easy reference. Commonly used instrument sets are described in the last chapter, providing everything you need in preparing for most major procedures. Instrument at-a-glance view and spiral binding make this an ideal flashcard-style study tool. Surgical Power Tools chapter covers drills, saws, and other basic powered devices commonly used in surgical suites. Minimally Invasive Surgical Instruments chapter includes the leading robotic system and shows the most common instrument tips used to interface with the robot. Full-color photographs make it easier to distinguish between different metal-types for each instrument. Over 135 photos of instrument tips help you identify the various types. A definition of instrument class opens each chapter and is followed by a description of what the instruments are used for and how they are used.

This comprehensive, detailed surgical instrument text encompasses basic through advanced concepts. The book presents individual instruments in collections and similar types by function and explores their common uses. The construction of each instrument is broken down in detail. The instruments are categorized in a consistent order and the logic of set assembly for procedures is described at an understandable level. It is an ideal book for surgical personnel of all disciplines.

Here’s a close-up look at more than 800 cutting, clamping, grasping, retracting, and other surgical instruments. Full-color photographs of the individual surgical instruments and their tips help you learn to distinguish among them.