Surgical instrument glossary
Short definitions of the terms used in our listings and buying guides. Each entry notes common variations and what to check before you buy.
Instruments
Bone rongeur
A bone rongeur is a heavy-duty hinged instrument with sharp, cup-shaped jaws that cut away small pieces of bone. The trade also calls rongeurs bone biters or bone nibblers, and the jaws are hollowed much like a curette.
- Common variations
- Common pattern names include Leksell, Stille-Luer and Beyer, with straight or curved jaws in a range of bite widths. Each rongeur uses either a single-action joint or a double-action joint, which adds a compound linkage for more force at the jaws.
- What to check
- Compare bite width in millimeters and overall length first, then check jaw curve and action type. Two rongeurs can share a length and still differ in bite width, so read both figures and the pattern name on the listing.
Curette
A curette is a hand instrument with a small, sharp cup or scoop at the tip that scrapes tissue from a surface. A bone curette uses the sharp rim of its cup to scrape and shape bone, and handles may be hollow, knurled or T-shaped.
- Common variations
- Named patterns include Brun, Spratt and Cobb in straight, angled or reverse-angled forms. Cups may be round, oval or teardrop-shaped, and they come closed or fenestrated.
- What to check
- Many catalogs size curettes by a number such as 0000 or 5, sometimes with the cup width in millimeters beside it. The millimeter figure behind a size number can differ between patterns and makers, so compare stated cup size with shape, angle and overall length.
Hand-held retractor
A hand-held retractor is a surgical instrument with a blade, hook or rake on a handle that a person holds to draw back tissue. It has no ratchet or spring to hold itself open, which is what sets it apart from a self-retaining retractor.
- Common variations
- Named patterns include the single-ended Richardson and Deaver and the double-ended Army-Navy, which has one short end and one long end. The double-ended Senn pairs an L-shaped end with a pronged end, and rake retractors carry sharp or blunt prongs.
- What to check
- Compare the pattern name, overall length and blade width and depth, since manufacturer catalogs list each figure separately. Note single-ended or double-ended design and sharp or blunt prongs, then match the manufacturer and catalog number when replacing a specific piece.
Hemostat
A hemostat is a locking forceps with ring handles and a ratchet, used to clamp and close off blood vessels or tissue. Catalogs also list hemostats as hemostatic forceps or artery forceps, and each ratchet step closes the jaws further.
- Common variations
- Common patterns include mosquito, Kelly and Crile, and each comes with straight or curved jaws. A Kelly has transverse serrations on the distal half of the jaws, while a Crile is serrated along the full jaw length.
- What to check
- Compare the pattern name, overall length and jaw curve, then check the serration layout and tip shape in the listing photos. Mosquito patterns run about 3 1/2 to 5 inches, and Kelly patterns about 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 inches.
Kerrison rongeur
A Kerrison rongeur is a punch-style rongeur whose sliding jaw closes against a fixed footplate at the end of the shaft. Squeezing the handle drives the jaw toward the footplate, and each stroke cuts away a small bite of bone or tissue.
- Common variations
- Some catalogs use the name Kerrison punch, and pattern names include Spurling-Kerrison, Ferris-Smith Kerrison and micro Kerrison rongeurs. Bite angles include 40 and 90 degrees in up-bite or down-bite form, with thin or regular footplates and several handle sizes.
- What to check
- To match a Kerrison rongeur, compare bite width in millimeters with the bite angle, working length and footplate profile. Jaw opening, ejector design and the maker's reference number also separate models that look alike in photos.
Laparoscopic grasper
A laparoscopic grasper is a long, slender instrument that passes through a laparoscopic port to hold tissue with jaws at its tip. A handle at the other end opens and closes the jaws, and many versions rotate at the working end.
- Common variations
- Jaws are single-action when one jaw moves and double-action when both move, while atraumatic jaws are finely serrated rather than deeply serrated or toothed. Reusable graspers are often modular, pairing a handle with an insulated shaft and an interchangeable jaw insert.
- What to check
- Compare shaft diameter and working length first, since 5 mm shafts are most common and standard lengths run about 34 to 37 cm. Then match the jaw type and handle style, and confirm that a modular insert, shaft and handle belong to one system.
Metzenbaum scissors
Metzenbaum scissors are surgical scissors with long handles, comparatively short blades and blunt tips, designed for delicate cutting and blunt dissection of tissue. The pattern is named after the surgeon Myron Metzenbaum, and the trade often shortens it to Metz.
- Common variations
- Blades are usually curved but also come straight, in lengths such as 4 1/2 inch baby Metzenbaum and 11 inch patterns. Nelson-Metzenbaum is a named long variant, and edges may be plain steel, tungsten carbide inserts or Super-Cut.
- What to check
- Compare overall length, blade curve and edge type before matching a pair or a set. Tungsten carbide versions may carry a TC suffix in the catalog number, which separates them from plain steel versions of the same length.
Needle holder
A needle holder, also called a needle driver, is a hinged instrument that grips a suture needle between its jaws. Most ring-handle models have a ratchet that locks the jaws, and the jaw faces usually carry fine serrations or cross-hatching.
- Common variations
- Ring-handle patterns include Mayo-Hegar, Crile-Wood and Webster, and the Olsen-Hegar pattern can also cut suture. Castroviejo needle holders are held with a tweezers-like grip rather than through finger rings.
- What to check
- Compare overall length and jaw pattern, then check for tungsten carbide jaw inserts, which some makers add for grip and durability. Some makers mark carbide versions with a TC suffix in the catalog number, so read the full number on the listing.
Osteotome
An osteotome is a chisel-like instrument for cutting and shaping bone, with a sharp working end beveled on both sides. It is struck with a mallet, and the double bevel is the main feature that separates it from a surgical chisel.
- Common variations
- Named patterns include Lambotte, Hibbs and Smith-Petersen, and blades come straight or curved in many tip widths. Curved blades may be listed as left or right, and some patterns add a single guard.
- What to check
- Compare tip width, blade shape and overall length when matching an osteotome, and note the handle style and material. Widths may appear in millimeters or inch fractions, such as 6 mm or 1/4 inch, so convert before comparing listings.
Pituitary rongeur
A pituitary rongeur is a grasping rongeur with small cup jaws on a long shaft, used to remove small pieces of tissue. Catalogs give its bite as width by length in millimeters, such as 2 x 10 mm, and state working length separately.
- Common variations
- Jaws come straight, up-curved or down-curved, and some patterns have serrated or fenestrated cups. Pattern names include Cushing, Ferris-Smith and Schlesinger, and some catalogs file these instruments as disc or IVD rongeurs.
- What to check
- Compare jaw direction, bite size and working length, since straight and up-curved versions of one pattern can share a bite size. Check whether the listing states working length in inches or millimeters, and convert before matching a replacement.
Self-retaining retractor
A self-retaining retractor holds a surgical opening apart without being held, using opposing blades or hooks that lock in the open position. The spread is set with a ratchet, spring, worm gear or speed lock on the instrument.
- Common variations
- Compact patterns include Weitlaner, Gelpi and Beckman retractors, and a Weitlaner is listed by overall length and a prong pattern such as 3x4. Larger retractor systems clamp to a frame fixed at the operating table and take separate blades.
- What to check
- Compare overall length, prong pattern and whether the tips are sharp or blunt, since a Weitlaner comes in both. For a table-mounted system, confirm which frame parts, posts and blades the listing includes before matching it to other parts.
Tissue forceps
Tissue forceps are forceps designed to grasp, hold and move tissue, often with interlocking teeth at the tips for grip. Dressing forceps, by contrast, have no teeth on their tips and are sometimes called pickups.
- Common variations
- Toothed thumb patterns include the Adson with 1x2 teeth and the Adson-Brown with many fine interlocking teeth. Catalogs also use the name for ratcheted ring-handle patterns such as Allis and Babcock tissue forceps.
- What to check
- Compare overall length, tip width and tooth pattern, since two Adson forceps can share a length and still differ at the tip. Some patterns add a tying platform behind the teeth, and listings may state the teeth as 1x2, 2x3 or 3x4.
Endoscopy and imaging
Arthroscope
An arthroscope is a slim endoscope with a lens and lighting system for viewing the inside of a joint. It attaches to a camera head so the image appears on a video monitor.
- Common variations
- Catalog diameters include 4 mm and smaller sizes such as 2.9 mm, each with a stated working length such as 152 mm or 157 mm. Directions of view run from 0 to 70 degrees, and some catalogs call this figure the angle of view.
- What to check
- Match the diameter and working length to the sheath and obturator made for that arthroscope model. Check the direction of view and the light post, since light cable adapters differ between manufacturers.
Arthroscopic shaver
An arthroscopic shaver is a powered cutting system made up of a console, a motorized handpiece and a replaceable blade or bur. A shaver blade has an inner tube that turns inside an outer tube, with windows for cutting and suction.
- Common variations
- Blades and burs are made in diameters such as 3.5 mm and 5.5 mm, and in standard and longer lengths. Consoles can run blades forward or in oscillate mode, with speed and direction set by hand controls or a footswitch.
- What to check
- Identify the console make and model first, then check that the manufacturer lists each handpiece for that console. Match each blade or bur to that handpiece, and confirm whether the cable and footswitch are included.
Camera head
A camera head is the part of an endoscopic video camera that attaches to the endoscope, usually through a coupler, and captures the image. An integral cable connects it to a camera control unit, which processes the image and sends it to the monitor.
- Common variations
- Designs include standard, pendulum and integrated heads, and some models carry programmable buttons for camera functions. Catalogs also describe single-chip or three-chip sensors, HD or 4K output and autoclavable versions.
- What to check
- Match the camera head to the camera control unit it was built for, since heads are designed for specific platforms. Then check the cable connector and whether the listing includes the coupler, since some heads need one to attach an endoscope.
Cystoscope
A cystoscope is an endoscope for viewing the inside of the urethra and bladder, made in rigid and flexible forms. A rigid cystoscope is usually sold as a set of telescope, bridge, sheath and obturator.
- Common variations
- Rigid sheaths run from about 15 Fr to 25 Fr, and telescopes are made in directions of view such as 30 and 70 degrees. Bridges range from diagnostic versions without a channel to bridges with one or two working channels, including the Albarran deflecting bridge.
- What to check
- Check the telescope diameter, working length and direction of view, then confirm the sheath and bridge belong to the same system. For flexible cystoscopes, compare the French size and the tip deflection range the manufacturer lists.
Direction of view
Direction of view is the angle between an endoscope's shaft axis and the center of its field of view, stated in degrees. A 0-degree endoscope looks straight ahead, while a 30-degree endoscope looks 30 degrees off that axis.
- Common variations
- Common markings include 0 and 30 degrees along with 45 and 70 degrees, and listings often call it the viewing angle. Karl Storz calls 0 degrees straight forward and 30 degrees forward-oblique, and it color-codes them green and red.
- What to check
- Match the direction of view exactly as marked on the endoscope or in the manufacturer specification. Keep it separate from the field of view, which also uses degrees but describes how wide the image is.
Fiber optic light cable
A fiber optic light cable is a sheathed bundle of glass fibers that carries light from a light source to an endoscope. One end fits the light source and the other fits the endoscope, often through an adapter.
- Common variations
- In catalogs it is also called a light guide cable or a fiberoptic light cable. Listings give the bundle diameter and length, such as 3.5 mm by 230 cm or 5 mm by 10 ft.
- What to check
- Match the cable diameter to the endoscope, as manufacturer instructions advise for efficient light transmission. Check the fittings at both ends, since light source and endoscope connections differ by manufacturer and may need adapters.
Field of view
Field of view is the angular width of the image an endoscope shows, stated in degrees. It describes how much the endoscope sees at once, not which way it points.
- Common variations
- Catalogs often shorten it to FOV, and the ISO 8600-3 standard sets methods for measuring it along with direction of view. The two are separate figures, and one published arthroscope design pairs a 0-degree direction of view with a 70-degree field of view.
- What to check
- Do not read a field of view number as the direction of view, since both figures are given in degrees. Some product pages omit the field of view, so check the manufacturer documentation for the exact model when the figure matters.
French size (Fr)
French size (Fr) is a scale for the outside size of catheters, sheaths and endoscopes, where 1 Fr equals one third of a millimeter. A round 24 Fr sheath therefore measures 8 mm across, and a 3 Fr part measures 1 mm.
- Common variations
- It is also called the Charrière scale after a 19th-century Paris instrument maker and may be abbreviated Fr, F or Ch. ISO 8600-1 defines it from the perimeter of the cross-section, so parts that are not round can still carry a French size.
- What to check
- French size describes the outside of a part rather than its inner channel, and manufacturers rate working elements by the sheath sizes they fit. Match a sheath's French size to a working element rated for it, such as 24 to 26 Fr, within one manufacturer system.
Hysteroscope
A hysteroscope is an endoscope for viewing the inside of the uterine cavity, sold in diagnostic and operative versions. Rigid hysteroscopes use a rod-lens telescope, and semirigid and flexible designs are also made.
- Common variations
- Sheaths are single-flow or continuous-flow, and continuous-flow designs pair inflow and outflow sheaths with a working channel, such as 5 Fr. Rigid versions come in directions of view of 0, 12 or 30 degrees, while flexible and semirigid versions are 0 degrees.
- What to check
- Compare the telescope diameter, direction of view and working length, then the outer diameter of the assembled sheath. For operative sets, check the working channel size in French and which instruments the channel is sized to accept.
Light source
A light source is the console that generates light for endoscopy, with controls for adjusting brightness. A fiber optic light cable carries that light from the unit's output port to the endoscope.
- Common variations
- Lamp types include xenon and LED, and some catalogs call the unit a cold light fountain. Rated lamp life varies, from about 500 hours on one 300 W xenon unit to 30,000 hours on one LED unit.
- What to check
- Check that the output port accepts your light cable, directly or with an adapter, and whether the unit pairs with a specific camera system. Compare the lamp type and rated lamp life, and note any lamp hours the listing shows.
Outer diameter
Outer diameter is the width across the outside of an endoscope, sheath or instrument shaft, usually given in millimeters. It is the size compared against the sheath, trocar or channel the part passes through.
- Common variations
- Catalogs list it as outer diameter or simply diameter, while urology sheaths often state it as a French size, where 3 Fr equals 1 mm. ISO 8600-4 measures it as the largest diameter of a circle drawn around the insertion portion along its length.
- What to check
- Compare outer diameter against the exact model rather than a rounded size, and convert French sizes to millimeters before comparing across units. A sheath and the telescope inside it carry different diameter figures, so compare like with like.
Resectoscope
A resectoscope is a rigid endoscopic instrument built from a telescope, a working element, a cutting electrode and a sheath. The working element moves the electrode loop forward and back in front of the telescope.
- Common variations
- Resectoscopes come in monopolar and bipolar versions, and their working elements come in active and passive designs. Continuous-flow sheaths add an inner sheath inside the outer one, and sheath sizes are stated in French, such as 22 Fr or 26 Fr.
- What to check
- Treat a resectoscope as a matched system, and compare the manufacturer and reference number of each piece. Then match the sheath French size, working element action and energy type, and confirm the telescope and electrodes suit that system.
Rigid endoscope
A rigid endoscope is an endoscope whose insertion portion is designed to stay straight and not bend. Lenses and light-carrying optical fibers run inside a straight tube to give a view inside a body cavity.
- Common variations
- Catalogs often call it a telescope, as in the Karl Storz HOPKINS line, and it is the counterpart to a flexible endoscope. Types are usually named by where they are used, including laparoscopes, arthroscopes and cystoscopes.
- What to check
- Start with the manufacturer and the model or reference number, then compare outer diameter, direction of view and working length. Also check the light post and eyepiece against the camera and light cable they will connect to.
Rod-lens telescope
A rod-lens telescope is a rigid endoscope that relays the image through long glass rods, so its optics hold more glass than air. Older optics did the reverse, using a series of glass lenses separated by large air gaps.
- Common variations
- It is often called the Hopkins rod-lens system after Harold Hopkins, whose design gave a brighter image in a narrower tube. Karl Storz put it into production after meeting Hopkins in 1965, and its telescopes still carry the HOPKINS name.
- What to check
- Treat rod-lens as a description of the optics rather than proof that two telescopes match. Compare the manufacturer and reference number, then check the outer diameter, direction of view and working length.
Working element
A working element is the handle mechanism of a resectoscope that holds the telescope and carries the electrode. It moves the electrode forward and back through the window at the tip of the sheath, using a thumb ring or finger grip.
- Common variations
- Working elements are active or passive, which describes whether the cutting stroke works against spring pressure or with it. Designs also differ by mechanism, such as spring-and-thumb or rack-and-pinion, and by monopolar or bipolar use.
- What to check
- Match the working element to the sheath size in French, the telescope diameter and the electrode type it was built for. Confirm the manufacturer and reference number, and whether the listing describes an active or passive design.
Working length
Working length is the manufacturer's stated length of the part of an endoscope or instrument that is inserted during use. It is a separate figure from total length, and ISO 8600-1 defines it as the insertion portion length stated in the instruction manual.
- Common variations
- Manufacturers give it in centimeters or millimeters, so one Karl Storz telescope is named 30 cm but lists a 300 mm working length. Product titles often pair it with diameter, as in 5 mm by 34 cm.
- What to check
- Compare working length in one unit against the exact model, since Karl Storz lists 4 mm 30-degree telescopes at 18 cm and 30 cm. For parts that pass through a sheath or trocar, check the length that system calls for.
Trade and buying terms
Bite width
Bite width is the size of a rongeur's cutting jaw in millimeters, the figure catalogs list as the bite. It appears on Kerrison rongeurs and pituitary rongeurs, as in a 3 mm or 5 mm bite.
- Common variations
- Catalog lines usually pair the bite with the jaw angle and direction, such as a 3 mm bite at 40 degrees up. Some lines also list the jaw opening, footplate type and working length as separate figures.
- What to check
- Compare bite width together with angle, working length and footplate, because two instruments with the same bite can differ in each. Check the stated bite against the model or reference number when the listing shows one.
Footplate
A footplate is the stationary plate at the tip of a Kerrison rongeur. The punch slides along the shaft and closes against the footplate to take each bite of bone.
- Common variations
- Catalogs describe the footplate profile with terms such as thin or extra thin, and some patents spell the word as foot plate. Ear instrument catalogs also list footplate picks and hooks, but those names refer to the stapes footplate in the middle ear.
- What to check
- Footplate profile is a separate specification from bite width, angle and working length, so match it to the instrument you are replacing. Check the listing title for the profile, and use the actual-item photos to compare the tip directly.
Instrument set
An instrument set is a group of surgical instruments kept and processed together as one unit. Sets are arranged in trays or baskets, then wrapped or placed in a rigid container.
- Common variations
- Listing titles may say set, tray or system and often name a specialty, procedure or manufacturer system. A manufacturer may define a set by the catalog numbers of its pieces, and some sets hold instruments on stringers or racks.
- What to check
- Check the listing title and actual-item photos to see which pieces a set includes and whether a tray, case or container comes with it. Compare the contents with the pieces your facility needs, since sets sold under one name can differ.
Listed in working condition
Listed in working condition is the phrase Clear Choice Medical uses to describe each individual item it lists. Clear Choice Medical does not publish separate condition grades.
- Common variations
- The same wording applies to new and used items in every listing category. It is different from the marketplace label for parts or not working, which describes an item that does not function as intended.
- What to check
- Judge surfaces, markings and included parts from the listing photos, which show the actual item for sale. Every item ships non-sterile and carries a 30-day warranty against functional defects. All sales are final. We do not accept returns.
Model and reference numbers
A model or reference number is the manufacturer's code for one specific instrument or device design. It separates items that look alike but differ in size, pattern, fittings or system family.
- Common variations
- Catalogs also call it a catalog number, part number or item number, and the code can mix letters and digits. A serial number is different, because it identifies one individual unit rather than the design it was made to.
- What to check
- Search by the number first and confirm it against the markings in the actual-item photos, since a title may omit it. A matching number identifies the design, but confirm system fit against manufacturer documentation for the exact models involved.
Ratchet
A ratchet is the set of interlocking teeth on the handles of hemostats, clamps and needle holders that locks the jaws closed. Each step of the ratchet brings the jaws closer together and holds them without continued hand pressure.
- Common variations
- Catalogs and listing titles may call it a lock or catch, as in a Castroviejo needle holder with lock. Laparoscopic needle holder catalogs specify handles with ratchet or inline ratcheted, and some self-retaining retractors use a ratchet to hold their spread.
- What to check
- Check whether the instrument you are matching has a ratchet or lock, since a pattern name alone may not say. The listing photos show the actual item, so use them to compare the ratchet teeth and how the handles meet.
Rigid sterilization container
A rigid sterilization container is a reusable box with a base and lid that holds instrument trays through sterilization, storage and transport. It is an alternative to wrapping the tray in sterilization wrap.
- Common variations
- Listings also say sterilization container or container system. Filters can be reusable, single-use or permanently fixed to the container, and systems use lid gaskets. Some add tamper-evident seals and processing cards.
- What to check
- Compare outside size and depth with the trays it must hold, then check the photos for each lid, base and gasket. Gaskets wear with repeated use, and the manufacturer's instructions for use name the filters and sterilization methods the container is meant for.
Serrated jaw
A serrated jaw has fine grooves or teeth cut into its gripping face to hold tissue or a needle securely. Serrations appear on hemostats, clamps, forceps and needle holders in layouts that vary by pattern.
- Common variations
- Serrations are described by direction and extent, and layouts include transverse, longitudinal and cross-hatched. Pattern names imply a layout, so a Crile has transverse serrations along the full jaw and a Rochester-Carmalt has a cross-hatched tip.
- What to check
- Compare serration direction, extent and fineness with the instrument you are matching, using close-up listing photos of the jaw face. Catalogs often state jaw size together with face type, as in an 11 x 1.4 mm serrated jaw.
Single-action and double-action
Single-action and double-action describe the joint that links a cutting instrument's handles to its jaws. A double-action joint adds leverage that increases the force at the cutting surface.
- Common variations
- Catalogs write the terms with or without a hyphen, as in single action or single-action joint. The labels appear on bone rongeurs and wire cutters, and pattern names such as Beyer or Kleinert-Kutz come in either action.
- What to check
- Action type describes the mechanism only, so compare the joint in the listing photos along with pattern name, bite width and length. Which action suits a case is a clinical decision for your surgeons, so match the instrument you already have.
Surplus medical equipment
Surplus medical equipment is equipment that a hospital, surgery center or clinic owns but no longer needs. It includes excess stock and items taken out of service after an upgrade, a vendor change or a service-line change.
- Common variations
- Search phrasing includes hospital surplus, surgery center surplus, surplus surgical equipment and facility surplus equipment. Facilities may redeploy surplus, trade it in or sell it, often after a department clean-out or facility consolidation.
- What to check
- Surplus describes where equipment came from, not its age or condition, so review each listing on its own details. Check the actual-item photos, markings and included parts, and note that items ship non-sterile for the buyer's facility to process.
Tungsten carbide inserts
Tungsten carbide inserts are pieces of very hard carbide fixed into the jaws or blades of needle holders, scissors and forceps. The carbide is harder than stainless steel, so the working surface resists wear better than plain steel.
- Common variations
- Catalogs and listing titles abbreviate the feature as TC or T/C. Gold-colored rings or handles are the usual visual marker, and some needle holder designs use a replaceable insert.
- What to check
- Treat gold handles as a marker to confirm, not proof, and check the listing title and photos for a TC mark. Then compare jaw pattern, jaw size and overall length with the instrument you are matching, since TC and plain versions can look alike.
Up-bite and down-bite
Up-bite and down-bite describe whether a rongeur's jaw is angled upward or downward relative to the shaft. Catalogs pair the direction with an angle, such as 40 degrees up or 90 degrees down.
- Common variations
- Listings may also write up-angle, down-angle or down cut, and the terms appear on Kerrison and pituitary rongeurs. Arthroscopic punch forceps use the related name up-biter, as in an oval upbiter punch.
- What to check
- Direction and angle define different jaw configurations, so match both when replacing an instrument in a set or tray. Then compare bite width and working length, since one Kerrison line at 40 degrees up lists 2 mm, 3 mm and 5 mm bites.
Systems and compatibility
Cannula and obturator
A cannula is a hollow tube that holds open a channel for instruments or an endoscope. An obturator is the removable inner piece that fits inside the cannula or sheath during insertion and is then withdrawn.
- Common variations
- In laparoscopy the pair forms a trocar with a bladed, bladeless, optical or blunt obturator tip. Rigid urology sheaths also pair with obturators, including visual obturators that are listed by sheath size.
- What to check
- An obturator is made for a specific cannula or sheath, so match the manufacturer, model number and size in millimeters or Fr. Confirm whether a listing includes the cannula, the obturator or both.
Electrosurgical electrode
An electrosurgical electrode is the conductive tip that carries high-frequency electrical current to tissue. It may fit a pencil or a resectoscope working element, or form a long laparoscopic probe.
- Common variations
- Common shapes include blade and needle tips plus ball, loop, spatula and hook designs. Resectoscope electrodes are listed by shape and number of poles, such as a bipolar cutting loop or a bipolar pointed electrode.
- What to check
- Compare tip shape and length for pencil and laparoscopic electrodes, and match Fr size and color code to the working element for resectoscope electrodes. Also check the telescope direction of view a resectoscope electrode is listed for, such as 12 degrees or 30 degrees.
Monopolar and bipolar
In monopolar electrosurgery, current passes from an active electrode through the patient to a separate dispersive electrode, a pad placed elsewhere on the body. In bipolar electrosurgery, both electrode functions sit at the instrument tip, so only tissue between them is in the circuit.
- Common variations
- Some catalogs say unipolar for monopolar, as in a unipolar high frequency cord. Bipolar forceps are a common bipolar form, and resectoscope working elements and electrodes are made in both versions.
- What to check
- Check the number of poles listed for the instrument, the cord and any working element. Compare the cord connectors at both ends, such as the plug diameter on the generator side and the fitting on the instrument side.
OEM (original equipment manufacturer)
OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. In medical equipment it commonly means the company that made a device and set its original specifications.
- Common variations
- The term is ambiguous in wider business use, where it can mean a company that makes products for others to sell under their names. OEM parts are often contrasted with aftermarket parts, which are made by companies other than the original maker.
- What to check
- An OEM name in a listing identifies the maker, not a link to the seller, so confirm it against the stated model or reference number. Clear Choice Medical is an independent dealer and is not affiliated with any manufacturer.
System family
A system family is a manufacturer's range of parts designed to be assembled together, such as resectoscope sheaths, working elements and electrodes. Parts within a family are matched by size markings and sometimes by color codes.
- Common variations
- Catalogs may say system, series or family, as with the Olympus OES Pro resectoscope family or the Karl Storz CLICKLINE series. A Karl Storz bipolar working element, for example, is listed for that maker's standard resectoscope sheaths and telescopes in corresponding sizes.
- What to check
- Match the manufacturer, system name and size marking on every part rather than judging fit by appearance. Listing photos show the actual item, so compare visible markings with the stated model number.
Trocar
A trocar is a surgical access device made of a pointed or blunt obturator fitted inside a hollow cannula. Once the body wall is entered, the obturator is withdrawn and the cannula stays in place as a channel for instruments.
- Common variations
- The name traces to a French term for the triangular point of early designs. Tip designs include bladed or pyramidal, bladeless and optical styles, plus dilating tips with a shield and blunt Hasson-style tips.
- What to check
- Compare size, tip design and working length, noting that some catalogs list a 6 mm trocar for 5 mm instruments. Check the valve type and whether the cannula, obturator and seals are all included.
For step-by-step matching advice, read the buying guides. For a question about a specific listing, contact us.