Essential Minor Surgery Instruments and Other Supplies for Wound Cleaning

Before we get into the specifics of surgery here, let's make sure we're all on the same page regarding the understanding of minor surgery.  True minor surgery involves only cutting and stitching.  Anesthetic, if any is used, is only local.  No respiratory assistance is required.  Minor surgery pertains to medical issues such as lacerations, abscesses, and ingrown toenails. 

As with any job, having the right tools makes the task easier, faster, and more pleasant for all.  Yes, you can sometimes improvise a tool, if necessary.  I have been known to improvise a flathead screwdriver for a Phillips on occasion.  It usually doesn't work as well.  I've also been known to improvise a butter knife for a flathead screwdriver, and it doesn't work as well, either.  But both of them save me a trip to the garage.  I also only make these substitutions for little, temporary jobs.  If I want to do the job right, I get the right tool.

When you're dealing with medical issues with your family, you want the right tools for yourself or the doctor doing the work for you.  You don't want the absolute cheapest instruments, but you don't need surgical suite quality, either.

Ideally, you'd find a doctor to help you out with specific purchases.  Dr. Steve brought tools to the class and we were able to buy what we wanted as sets or singly.  Most of the instruments he offered were actually made in India.  Even though they were very inexpensive, he was impressed with the quality and felt they were on par with much more expensive tools.  Unfortunately, I can't really offer any recommendations.  The pre-assembled kits retailers offer may have good quality items.  Like every kit marketed towards the preparedness community, these pre-assembled kits will most certainly cost more than what you'd pay by putting your own together. 

As far as the actual instruments go, this is what most doctors have and use:

• Hemostats (look like clamps)
• mosquito, curved (2)
• Kelly, straight (2)
• Hagar needle driver (also known as needle holder), 5", (1).  These look like clamps but are not.  They are strictly for holding the suture needle.
• Scissors
• bandage scissors (1)
• Metzenbaum, dissecting scissors, curved, 6" (1)
• suture.  These have a curved, blunt blade on the bottom to prevent injuring the patient.
• trauma shears for cutting away clothing (1)
• Scalpels
• disposable units or the handles (#3 scalpel handle) with replacement blades
• scalpel blades, at least a dozen each of #10, #11, and #15
• Forceps (tweezers to non-doctors)
• splinter forceps, ultra-fine tip with tip protector (1)
• smooth pick-ups, holding dressings (1)
• toothed pick-ups (Adson's forceps/tissue forceps.  Especially useful in pulling the skin together so that skin staples can be well placed.)

And you can ask a doctor, and he'll tell you these instruments are not really interchangeable.  They're the bare basics for most minor surgeries.  When a patient needs minor surgery, you want to have everything necessary for the job to be done well and safely, without introducing infection.  So you'll also want in your supplies a good number of sterile towels and drapes.  These are placed around the wound to be sutured so that the suture thread does not come into contact with dirty skin or clothing and risk dragging contaminants into the wound.  These can be sterilized and reused as needed.  And the surgeon should also have sterile gloves.  These run about a dollar a pair, and the surgeon really wants the right size for his hand, so you'll want a few sizes.

And finally, a couple of other items for cleaning wounds:

• a baby brush.  The soft little baby brushes that are sent home from the hospital are ideal for gently cleaning out debris from abrasions.  
• razors.  If the laceration is within a hairy part of the body, the skin needs to be shaved clean before suturing begins.  Otherwise, the risk of contaminating the underlying tissue is too great. 

 9 june 2020