Did you ever wonder what your surgical instruments are made from?

Wise consideration is necessary while selecting a material for medical field use. Any wrong material may impose disastrous results that somehow complicate the surgical procedures.

 Commonly used metals for surgical instruments 

Stainless steel instruments

One of the extraordinary properties of stainless steel is to bear high temperatures like 400℃. This makes the instruments bear the high autoclave temperature, i.e., 180℃ during sterilization. 

Moreover, it is resistant to corrosion and imparts longevity to surgical tools. Just like carbon steel, stainless steel is also hard-wearing and tough, thus good to maintain conformation.  

Austenitic 316 is the best example of steel that highly resistant to corrosion and is commonly known as surgical steel. 

Austenitic 301 is the steel of choice to make springs for several surgical tools. 

Tantalum-a metal for orthopedics

Tantalum has extraordinary strength with a high melting point near about 3000℃. It has high biocompatibility that makes it attractive for orthopedic use. 

It is a highly resistant metal against corrosion and also shows inertness towards body fluids. That's why it has applications in surgical works to avoid side effects.

Due to its inertness and corrosion-resistant properties, it is used to replace bones in prostheses. 

Moreover, it can mold into any desirable shape that also makes it a attractive material. 

Palladium and Platinum tools

These metals are expensive but have tremendous properties for precision surgical applications.

They have applications as stents and catheters due to their ability to mold into wires of ultra-thin size.

Surgeons use them as markers because they are visible in radiography

4-Titanium instruments

It finds its application in orthopedics as plates, pins, and rods due to its biocompatibility properties. 

Titanium reflects the intrinsic quality, which makes it well fuses with bones. 

Titanium instruments are highly heat resistant, even more than stainless steel.

The following properties must be considered while selecting a material for instruments.

·      Malleable--- Metals that can shape into desire structures without imposing any flaw

·      Ductile--- It will help to mold metals into thin and long shapes

·      Satin finish--- It will allow to not support the bacterial spread from their surface  

·      Inert--- Those metals are best that don’t interfere with the body

·      Metal alloys--- Stainless steel is a best example and widely used

The selection of surgical instruments is made based on their functions and their manufacturing material. Don't make any wrong decisions in this regard and always use instruments of the best quality.     

Read more by clicking on the link below:
Metals used in surgical instruments