4 ways to use a scalpel

The scalpel is one of the first and essential instruments used in the operating room. It can be fixed in different ways depending on the type of incision required.
Palmar Grip – Hold between the thumb and middle finger, ring finger and fifth finger, with the index finger on the upper edge of the handle. Grip your hands tightly in your palms. This grip is used to make cuts in hard tissue. Periosteal elevators are also held in a similar fashion. The movement in this position comes from the shoulders.
Pencil Grip – Here, it’s held as a pencil for making small, precise cuts where the handle rests on the palm of your hand. In this position, the fingers move to make fine cuts.
Fingertip grip – a modification of the hand grip where the scalpel is held in the fingertips with the handle under the palm of the hand. Here more of the length of the blade is in contact with the skin and is therefore used to make long cuts, usually in the skin.
Stab Grip – An improvement on the pencil grip, where the scalpel is at a 90-degree angle to the skin surface. This location helps maximize penetration to the surface. It is used when making ports for laparoscopic surgery.
Sharp blades need to be discarded carefully, and once their purpose is complete, an attempt must be made to separate them. They must be placed in a white plastic container with a black lid and sent to incineration. The handle can be reused after it has been fully sterilized.