Disposable guarded surgical scalpel

摘要

A disposable guarded surgical scalpel includes a handle with a blade fixed to it and a slidably mounted guard. The guard can be moved using a single hand. When the scalpel is in use the guard is moved to a retracted position where the blade is exposed; the guard locks in this position to prevent any unintentional movement. When the scalpel is not in use, the guard is moved to an extended position where the blade is covered. When the scalpel has been used on a patient the guard is moved to a disposal position beyond the extended position thus exposing a visual indicia on the handle that indicates that the scalpel should not be reused. The guard also has grooves on the outer surface so as to provide better grip to a surgeon during operation.