Gorney Scissors, Titanium Coated Facelift Dissecting Scissors

What are Gorney scissors?

Gorney scissors are long bladed facelift dissecting scissors, 14.5 cm to 23 cm, with slim tapered blades and a fine blunt tip, used to separate a skin flap from the tissue beneath it without buttonholing the skin. Mark Gorney designed the pattern for rhytidectomy, where the surgeon works blind under a flap and has to feel the plane rather than see it. Adas Instruments manufactures them in Sialkot from German surgical stainless steel with a titanium coating, in five lengths, curved or straight.

Why the titanium coating on these

• No glare under the flap. Facelift dissection happens in a narrow tunnel lit by a headlight. A polished blade throws light back at the surgeon. The titanium coating is matt and dark, so the tip stays visible.
• Harder surface. Titanium nitride is harder than the steel beneath it, so the edge lasts longer between sharpenings on a pattern that is used for long, continuous cutting.
• Distinguishable on the tray. The coated pair is instantly separable from the uncoated dissecting scissors sitting next to it in a facelift set.
• Five lengths, not one. The plane changes depth as it moves from the preauricular area back into the neck. Most surgeons carry two lengths, not one.
• Made, not resold. Forged, ground, coated and inspected in our own workshop.

Clinical applications

Size chart

Curved Gorney scissors are the usual choice, because the curve follows the contour of the face and keeps the tip travelling in the plane rather than into the dermis. Straight blades are chosen for the flat run across the neck. Surgeons who buy one pair take 16 cm curved. These titanium coated scissors are listed in some catalogues as Freeman Gorney scissors, after the two surgeons whose names the pattern carries.

Technical specifications

Care and sterilisation

• Rinse Gorney scissors in cool water immediately. Blood dried in the box joint is the usual cause of a stiff action, and it is what we see most often on pairs sent back for service.
• Clean ultrasonically with a neutral pH detergent, joint fully open.
• Do not use abrasive pads or acidic detergent on the coating. One wash with a chlorine detergent will mark a set of coated Gorney scissors for the rest of its working life. Titanium nitride is hard but thin, and once it is scratched through, the steel underneath corrodes at that point.
• Lubricate the joint with instrument milk before each autoclave cycle.
• Autoclave at 134 C for 3 minutes. Dry fully before storage.
• Check the tips meet along their whole length. A pair that cuts at the tip and not the heel needs setting, not sharpening.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Gorney scissors and Metzenbaum scissors?

Both dissect bluntly. Metzenbaum scissors have short blades on long shanks for reaching into a deep cavity. Gorney scissors have long blades for travelling a long distance in one plane just under the skin, which is what facelift dissection is.

Which length should I order first?

16 cm curved. It covers the cheek and jawline, which is where most of the dissection happens. Add 20 cm if you routinely extend into the neck.

Why are these coated when the dissecting version is not?

The coating removes glare under a headlight and lasts longer under heavy use. The uncoated Freeman Gorney facelift dissecting scissors is the same geometry at a lower price, and many surgeons carry both.

Are Gorney scissors only for facelifts?

No. Any procedure that raises a long subcutaneous flap uses them: neck lift, brow lift, and reconstructive flap work on the trunk.

Can I order these under my own brand?

Yes. We manufacture for distributors and hospital groups and laser mark your brand, catalogue number and regulatory details on request.

Related instruments

Browse the full plastic surgery scissors range, or the wider plastic surgery instruments catalogue.

• Freeman Gorney Facelift Dissecting Scissors, the uncoated version of this exact geometry.
• Freeman Gorney Facelift Scissors Set of 3, three graduated lengths in one purchase.
• Metzenbaum Scissors Razor Edge, for blunt dissection deeper than a skin flap.