While lasers and laproscopy are gaining popularity as means of performing surgery, many procedures still involve surgeons cutting into the tissues of their patients with blades in the traditional manner.
If surgeons lack the right knives and cutting tools, they cannot administer needed medical attention.
Perhaps the most familiar and widespread of surgical cutting tools is the scalpel, or lancet.
A scalpel is a knife with a small, distinctively shaped, extremely sharp blade and a long handle.
Scalpels are used for cutting in soft tissues, and surgeons often make an initial incision with a scalpel.
Modern scalpels consist of a blade, which is replaceable, and a handle meant to be reused; they may be made of steel, titanium, ceramic, diamond, obsidian, or a number of other materials -- the nonmetal kind are particularly useful for performing surgery under MRI guidance.
While not intended for medical use, the common X-Acto Knife is actually a type of scalpel modified for use in arts and crafts.
Scalpels may be useful for cutting through soft flesh and tissue, but for tougher tissues, specialized surgical scissors are likely to be needed.
Some scissors can even provide smaller and more precise cuts than a scalpel, or do so at an angle that would be difficult with a single stationary blade.
There are numerous models of medical scissors available, often specially designed with a specific task in mind.
These include, to name a few examples, enterotomy scissors (for use on the intestines), cartilage scissors, eye scissors, umbilical scissors and tendon scissors.
Sometimes medical professionals have a need to cut through bone, and scalpels and scissors are not sufficient for this task.
In those cases, a bone saw is used.
Most bone saws are power tools and may include interchangeable parts that may also be used for drilling.