Disposable surgical instrument has indicator attached to two moving parts of instrument that must be broken off before use

摘要

The disposable surgical instrument (1), such as a clamp with two branches (2, 3) joined by their proximal ends, is made e.g. from injection-moulded plastic and has a use indicator (20) with two ends (23, 24) attached to moving parts of the instrument by connectors (21, 22) of reduced resistance. Before the instrument can be used the indicator has to be broken off at the points of reduced resistance, assuring the surgeon that it has not been used before.