Disposable Surgical Instruments VS Reusable Surgical Instruments

Surgical instruments are an inevitable part of hospital care. Surgeries are complex medical procedures which contribute to a significant share of the total environmental impact of the healthcare system. It is important to choose the right surgical instruments to avoid any injury during the surgical operation. The commonly used surgical instruments include cutting and dissecting, clamping, grasping and holding, probing, dilating, retracting and suctioning. 

With the growing demand for surgical instruments, there has been a great debate on the topic of choosing disposable surgical instruments and reusable surgical instruments. The surgical instruments can be divided into two types based on the material such as disposable surgical instruments and reusable surgical instruments. The rising costs and infection control lead to the increasing use of disposable surgical instruments in daily hospital practices. Environmental impacts have risen as a result of the life cycle of plastic or stainless steel disposables.

Disposal Surgical Instruments

The disposal of surgical instruments as the name suggests are single-use surgical instruments readily available for use. It does not require any repair, cleaning or sterilizing for using it. They are usually one-time-use instruments that are disposed of after their use. The disposable surgical instruments are more cost-effective compared to reusable surgical appliances. Purchasing the disposal of surgical items in bulk quantities helps in saving a lot more money. Also, being disposable it doe not require sterilization or other cleanings for maintenance. In terms of safety, the fact that a new instrument is used on every patient means that the probability of contamination or improperly cleaned/sterilized instruments is negligent.

Reusable Surgical Instruments

Reusable surgical instruments are those medical instruments that can be used multiple times for treating numerous patients. After the consultation and treatment of each patient, the instruments are sterilized thoroughly to ensure cleanliness and protection from other germs and diseases. Maintenance of reusable surgical items is a tiring task. It requires frequent washing and sterilizing. It is expensive compared to the disposal of surgical instruments and additionally does come in for other repair works if any. 

Why Disposable Surgical Instruments Are The Best Choice?

• The usage of disposable surgical instruments helps in enhancing the efficiency of the treatment as each new device gives an accurate result compared to the reusable surgical instruments. 

• The reusable set is fully opened before the surgery, while the disposable system comes in a modular box system, and the boxes are opened on demand during the surgery. This helps in maintaining cleanliness till the very end of the surgery.

• In consideration of the cost, the disposal of surgical instruments is much cheaper as it does not require any maintenance and repair works such as sterilization etc.

• Less chance of getting infected as it is a one-time use instrument it does not come in contact with other patients suffering from wounds or diseases.

• In terms of fragility, the longevity of reusable surgical items depends upon how well they are used and taken care of while the disposal of surgical items is easy to handle and neglects these fragility problems.

Hence, with the consideration of several factors, disposable surgical instruments are the best choice for healthcare.

Conclusion

The decision to choose between disposable and reusable surgical items requires consideration of several factors. However, Improperly cleaned and lack of sterilization on surgical instruments can cause severe harm to the health of patients. Hence, choosing high-quality medical equipment supplies is the best-advised one in consideration of the patient's safety and health.