digital divide network - article database

A scalpel is a stainless steel blade mostly used in medical procedures. Scalpels come in different shapes and sizes, providing for convenience while executing diverse medical procedures, which involve the cutting of body tissues during surgery and injury treatment.

Recent medical history indicates that before the advent of disposable scalpels, patient to patient and patient to health professional infections and contamination were high as a result of re-use of scalpels. Such re-use entailed poor or inefficient sterilization procedures such as heating and usage of methylated spirit. Modern technology has however heralded more knowledge and sterilization techniques and advanced medical gadgets.

Advanced surgical scalpels for instance are supplied with flexible blade cover for complete user protection, while others are pre-sterilized by manufacturers.

No doubt, surgery and injury treatment is a professional exercise that exposes the health professional to fresh body fluids and tissues. This medical environment hence tends to be a high risk zone in terms of disease transmission. Proper protection procedures are therefore a requisite and must therefore be accorded due priority so as to prevent contamination between health care givers and patients. A disposable scalpel for example is discarded once the procedure is through and as such, it only serves one patient.

The use of a disposable scalpel must be accompanied with the use of a surgical glove. Use of surgical drapes covering the patient also helps in preventing the flow of body fluids to other parts of the body, which may flow back to the surgical zone thereby causing more infection. A surgical drape may come in different sizes and may have an opening or not. Medical drapes with openings are more convenient as they only reveal the surgical area, covering other body parts and in case of any body fluid flow, the absorbent drapes will trap the flow.

It is important to understand that even simple medical examination procedures such as the removal of a suture from healing wound must be treated with the seriousness it calls for. The use of medical gloves is a must in such cases and you must never compromise.

It is important to also note that medical gloves are made from different materials. Gloves are mainly categorized as either latex gloves or non latex gloves. Some gloves come powdered with corn starch, which acts as a lubricant making it easier to put on without tearing. Corn starch can however impede healing and as such, surgical gloves, used in surgery and other sensitive procedures are un-powdered. Powdered gloves however can be used for other non sensitive examination procedures.

There has been an increase in latex gloves allergy by health professionals and as such, non latex gloves made from material such as vinyl and nitrile rubber have become widely used.

From the above deductions, it is becoming obvious that modern technology has brought rise to medical devices that are user protection centered. Swaged sutures, disposable scalpels, surgical gloves, surgical drapes to mention but a few, top the list of must-look out for protection instruments.

Surgical SEO is the author of this article on disposable scalpel.