A Brief History of Surgical Instruments

The history of surgical instruments has an important place within the history of medicine, as well as in the history of technology. Archaeologists have discovered primitive knives from as early as 10000 B.C., and there is evidence of attempts to suture from as far back as 2500 B.C.

Orthopedic surgery was also a very early concern. As far back as 5000 years ago the Egyptians used palm bark and linen bandages, wood and clay to stabilize fractures.

It was in Ancient Greece, however, that the precursor to modern instrumentation was born and orthopedic surgery came to prominence. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates (460-ca. 377 B.C.), founded classical surgery. It is from Hippocrates that we have reports of instruments formed of hardened iron. In addition to iron and copper, bronze and brass were used to make instruments, which were either cast, forged or cold-worked. Some reports indicate the existence of as many as 200 instrument types.

After the decline of the Greek civilization, this development continued in the Roman Empire. Roman generals followed the motto “For the best legions, the best surgeons,” and at those surgeons’ disposal was a multitude of instruments including knives, saws, catheters, needles, forceps and specula. The Romans also knew how to make steel instruments. When the ancient city of Pompeii was discovered, archaeologists uncovered a large package of surgical instruments in a building which may have housed a very early surgical instrument business.

Large leaps in technology continued in the centuries to follow. Surgery came into its own as a discipline in the 1700’s, and in the 1800’s Paris became its center. To judge from archaeological finds, Germany by that time was also a center for instrument craftsmen. The invention of stainless steel in the twentieth century brought perhaps the greatest change to the manufacturing process, until the most recent event of minimally invasive instrumentation.

As surgery has developed, the trade of the instrument makers has developed alongside it. There is evidence that in ancient times there were metal craftsmen who specialized in the manufacture of medical instruments. Two of the very striking features of the ancient instruments were their good quality and their elaborate ornamentation. The purpose of the decorations was partly functionalthey provided a more secure grip for the surgeon. In later periods, instruments were crafted by blacksmiths, cutlers and armourers. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, and the general increase in the rationalization of production methods, instrument making advanced another step. It has continued to develop, to reach the high level of precision crafting we know today.

It was over 100 years ago that Tuttlingen, Germany became the center of high-quality instrument making. Today Tuttlingen continues to hold that position, with the majority of Nivo Products manufacturing taking place there.

It is with a sense of history that we at Nivo Products go forward with the work of this ancient trade.