A Go-To Checklist for Surgeons, Students, and Hospitals

General surgery is one of the most fundamental specialties of medicine. When completing a laparotomy, hernia repair, appendectomy, or excising soft tissue, the probability you’ll need a certain instrument is high. Surgical teams and students have to work with what they’re given, and that may include an incomplete general surgery set. 

Also, for hospital administrators equipping operating rooms (ORs), having an entire and trustworthy general surgery set is essential for safety, efficiency, and the best possible outcome.

In this document will be a list of 15 surgical instruments you will find in every general surgery set, presented to you in functional order and based on versatility and the likelihood of need. So, there are cutting instruments, forceps, retractors, and needle holders, and here is your checklist for developing a surgical instrument set you can rely on.

1. Scalpel Handle and Blades (No. 3 and 4)

• Function: Incising the skin and soft tissues
• Why is it Essential: Always begins with an incision, and the scalpel is the workhorse of the OR.
• Tips: The No. 3 handle is used with blades such as 10, 11, and 15 (which tend to be for finer work), and the No. 4 handle with larger blades such as No. 20 or 23 (for deeper or larger incisions).

2. Metzenbaum Scissors

• Function: Cutting delicate tissue (and blunt dissection)
• Why is it Essential: Metzenbaums are very lightweight with a special ratio of shank-to-blade that makes them the ideal tool of choice for internal dissection.
• Variants: Curved and straight, usually the surgeon’s choice when performing soft tissue removals.

3. Mayo Scissors

• Purpose: To cut through heavy fascia and sutures
• Why it’s Important: Though heavier than Metzenbaum scissors, Mayo scissors allow you to break through tough tissue due to their greater weight.
• Variants: Straight Mayo for sutures, curved Mayo for tissue.
  

4. Mosquito Hemostats (Curved and Straight)

• Purpose: To clamp small vessels
• Why it’s Important: Used to achieve hemostasis and to lock down bleeding points before ligation or cautery.
• Pro Tip: Use straight mosquito forceps for superficial clamping and curved forceps for deeper.
  

5. Kelly and Crile Hemostats

• Purpose: To control medium vessels
• Why it’s Important: These clamps are similar to mosquitoes, but with more strength, and are used in most soft tissue surgeries.
• Difference: Crile clamps have serrations along the entire jaw; Kelly clamps have them on only half.
  

6. Needle Holders (Mayo-Hegar or Crile-Wood) 

• Function: Holds needles in place during suturing
• Purpose of tool: Holds needles securely, reduces hand fatigue, and provides precise placement.
• Best application: Use Mayo-Hegar for general use and Crile-Wood for finer sutures (e.g., vascular, subcutaneous tissues).

7. Adson Forceps (toothed and non-toothed) 

• Function: Holds and manipulates delicate tissue
• Purpose of tool: Fine, thumb forceps designed for skin closure and soft tissues.
• Tip vs. non-tip: Use toothed forceps when a strong grip is needed; use non-toothed forceps when working with very delicate structures (e.g., vessels, nerves).

8. Tissue Forceps (Allis, Babcock, Kocher) 

• Function: Retracts and/or grasps tissue
• Purpose of tool: Allis, Babcock, and Kocher are designed for different tissue types and serve different purposes.

1. Allis: Grasp tough tissues with ease but may have teeth, which may cause trauma.
2. Babcock: Atraumatic, great for bowel or delicate organs.
3. Kocher: Interlocking teeth allow for a strong grip; sometimes used as forceps on fascia or tough tissues.

9. Backhaus Towel Clamps

• Function: Used for securing surgical drapes
• Why It’s Important: Keeps drapes in position around the surgical site & can also hold tubing or suction in position.
• Types: Small, Large, Penetrating, etc.
  

10. Army-Navy Retractors

• Function: Retracting shallow incisions
• Why It’s Important: Super simple double-ended design is perfect for retracting superficial muscle or tissue.
• Durability: Made from durable material, making for a reliable option in simple procedures. 

11. Weitlaner Retractor

• Function: Self-retaining retraction
• Why It’s Important: Allows assistants to take a break because it stays open once placed at wound width. Where utilized – soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries.
• Design: Blunt or sharp prongs: Depends on the type of tissue being retracted.

12. Richardson Retractor

• Function: Deep tissue retractor
• Why It Is Important: Applicable for surgical procedures requiring deep access to the abdomen.
• When It Is Used: Normally used in pairs or with assistance in open surgical procedures.
  

13. Yankauer Suction Tip

• Function: Suction of blood and fluids from the surgical field.
• Why It Is Important: The suctioning system allows the surgeon to maintain a clear operative field, which aids in visualization and decreases complications and infection.
• Tip: The nontraumatic tip protects surrounding tissues from unnecessary trauma when suctioning.
  

14. Sponge Forceps (Foerster Forceps)

• Function: To hold sponges for absorption or apply pressure.
• Why It Is Important: Very versatile. Used for preparation of the surgical site, i.e., sopping up sterile saline, controlling bleeding, and applying pressure.
• Other Purpose: You can use it for atraumatic movement of tissue or even blunt dissection if necessary.
  

15. Scalpel Blade Remover or Blade Holder

• Function: Place or safely remove scalpel blades.
• Why it Is Important: Decrease injury risk to OR staff and surgical safety practice compliance.
• Note: A very small but necessary tool in a well-stocked general surgery kit.

Bonus Important Instruments Often Included in Comprehensive Sets

While not always considered part of a “basic” general surgery set, the following important instruments are often added for versatility:

• Debakey Forceps: Atraumatic, ideal for vascular handling
  
• Lahey Traction Forceps: Useful in thyroid and neck surgeries
  
• Mixter (Right Angle) Forceps: Useful for passing sutures around vessels
  
• Langenbeck Retractor: Hand-held retractor for small or moderate depths
  
• Penfield Dissector: Used for soft dissection in neuro and general procedures
  

Weighing Instrument Quality

We can’t stress enough how important it is to find the right manufacturer of instruments as well as choose high-quality instruments. Poor-quality instruments can break, corrode, and/or cause tissue trauma. When searching for important instruments, look for surgical-grade stainless steel and instruments that are engineered to tolerate repeated autoclaving and are validated for reusability.

At Hasni Surgical, we have been manufacturing surgical instruments to a precise level since 1986. As a result, hospitals and clinics around the world trust our general surgery sets they buy from us. When it comes to surgical instruments, they trust us to provide consistent performance, durability, and ergonomics. Whether you are a new student who just bought your first surgical kit or a hospital outfitting multiple operating rooms, Hasni Surgical can supply customized subsets based on the specific procedures that need to be performed.

Conclusion

Purchasing general surgery sets is much more than tools and hashtags; it’s a pathway to surgical success, patient safety, and clinician confidence. These 15 instruments are the foundation for almost every open surgical procedure. These important instruments provide the necessary functionality that surgeons use on a daily basis.

To ensure your operating room is fully equipped… and whether you are starting from scratch or doing an audit on your current combined set, use this checklist as a guide. And remember to buy instruments that suit your needs based on quality, dependability, and cost.