54 Basic Surgical Instruments: Pictures, Names, and Uses
All 54 basic surgical instruments with clear photos, names and what each one is used for, grouped by function. Free printable version and flashcards included.
16 Instruments for Retracting
Every card below is a live entry from our comprehensive instrument library. Tap any card to see alternative names, inspection points, caution notes, and passing technique.
Volkmann RetractorRetracts skin and tissue near the surface.Retracting
Deaver RetractorHolds back abdominal organs and the deep body wall during open abdominal and pelvic surgery, such as retracting the liver or spleen.Retracting
Goelet RetractorHolds back skin and superficial tissue in small, shallow incisions. It is also found on hip and other orthopedic trays.Retracting
Kelly RetractorRetracts the wound edges and deeper layers, including the deep abdominal wall.Retracting
Ribbon RetractorHolds back and protects organs and bowel in a wound, mostly in the abdomen. Narrow, short ones are used in smaller sites.Retracting
Richardson RetractorRetracts the edges of shallow to medium-depth wounds. Wider blades are also used to hold back organs such as the liver or spleen, with a sponge under the blade.Retracting
Roux RetractorHolds back skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle or organs at the edge of the incision during open surgery.Retracting
Senn RetractorRetracts skin and shallow tissue in small incisions. Usually used in pairs.Retracting- Quick check
Could you name these on the back table?
Five free CST practice questions: identify by photo, pick the use, spot the look-alike. The reason behind every answer, no account needed.
Army-Navy RetractorRetracts skin and shallow tissue in small or superficial incisions. Usually used in pairs.Retracting
Weitlaner RetractorHolds the edges of a small or shallow wound open on its own, so nobody has to hold handheld retractors.Retracting
Cushing Vein RetractorHolds back veins, vessels and nearby tissue for exposure in neck work and other wounds of medium depth.Retracting
Pratt Rectal SpeculumProvides exposure and visualization of the anal canal and rectum for examination, exposure, or surgery.Retracting
Auvard Vaginal SpeculumHolds back the posterior vaginal wall in vaginal and cervical procedures. The blade goes into the vaginal vault and the weight lets it hang in place without a hand on it.Retracting
Weisman Graves SpeculumHolds the vaginal walls apart to show the cervix. The open side lets it be lifted out over a catheter or other device already placed in the uterus, and leaves room for other instruments.Retracting
Storz Nasal SpeculumHolds the nostril open so the surgeon can see into the nasal cavity, for example during septoplasty.Retracting
Balfour RetractorEssential for large abdominal incisions, providing multi-directional retraction for enhanced surgical access.Retracting
Telling the near-identical apart.
Nobody confuses a retractor with a suction tip. What costs you time on the Mayo stand is the pairs that look nearly identical in a crowded tray. Every pair comes down to a single distinguishing feature:
Deaver vs. Richardson Retractor
Curved Mayo vs. Metzenbaum Scissors
Crile Hemostat vs. Kelly Forceps
Allis Forceps vs. Babcock Forceps
Needle Holder vs. Hemostatic Clamp
Adson Tissue vs. Adson-Brown Forceps
Would you know it on the back table?
Reading an instrument list is not the same as identifying it in seconds under surgical lights. Our built-in testing system generates questions directly from real cases with authentic photographs and realistic distractors.
Try this live question from our testing system. Select an answer below to see the instant clinical explanation — no account required for this sample.
The six functional families.
Instrument names become intuitive once you stop memorising them one by one. Almost every basic instrument belongs to one of these six functional groups:
Cutting & Dissecting
Scalpels, scissors, and curettes designed to divide, excise, or incise tissue. The working edge is sharp and must be protected when passing.
Grasping & Holding
Tissue forceps, sponge holders, and tenaculums that manipulate tissue or maintain exposure without slipping.
Clamping & Occluding
Hemostats and vascular clamps that compress blood vessels or hollow lumens to achieve haemostasis and prevent leakage.
Retracting
Handheld and self-retaining instruments that hold wound edges and organs away from the operative field to optimize visualization.
Suturing
Instruments engineered to drive needles, manipulate suture material, or approximate wound margins with clips and staples.
Suctioning & Aspirating
Hollow probes and cannulas attached to vacuum lines to remove blood, smoke, peritoneal fluid, and debris from the surgical field.
Why identification speed matters at the table.
Naming an instrument on a written quiz and handing it across a Mayo stand in under two seconds are two completely different skills. In the operating room, a surgeon will ask for an instrument with their eyes locked on the incision. If you hesitate or deliver the wrong clamp, the operative tempo breaks.
- Pass with purpose and orientation: Ring-handled instruments (scissors, clamps, needle holders) must be placed firmly into the surgeon's palm with the rings down and the tips facing upward or in the direction of intended use.
- Protect the tip: Scalpels (#3, #7) and sharp retractors (Senn, Volkman) should always be handed over with the sharp edge facing away from your hands and the surgeon's fingers.
- Real tables are not clean catalog shoots: On a live back table, instruments sit under lap sponges, reflect glare from surgical lights, and get wet with saline. Learn instruments by their distinctive silhouettes and hinge geometries.
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