Iris Scissors, Sharp Fine Tip, Straight or Curved, 9 cm to 14 cm, Supercut and Tungsten Carbide

What iris scissors are

Iris scissors, also called iris surgical scissors, are short operating scissors 9 cm to 14 cm from ring to tip, with two fine sharp points and a screw joint between the blades. The surgeon holds them by two finger rings, the same grip as a standard operating scissor, and the short blade keeps the cutting edge close to the hand where small movements stay controlled. Surgeons use them to cut thin tissue, to trim a skin edge and to lift and divide fine suture, mostly in eye surgery, blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty and other plastic surgery work.

Applications

Iris scissors started in the eye and moved outward. These are the procedures they are ordered for at Adas Instruments.

Size chart

Every length below is made in both patterns and in all four blade builds, so a tray can be matched across sizes.

Iris scissors curved and iris scissors straight

Curved iris scissors follow the shape of the tissue and let the surgeon see past the blade tip while cutting, which is why curved is the pattern most often reached for in dissection. Straight iris scissors cut in the line of the hand and suit trimming a skin edge or dividing suture. Both patterns are made here in the same five lengths and the same four blade builds, so a surgeon who prefers one is never pushed into a different size.

Technical specification

Made in Sialkot by Adas Instruments

Adas Instruments makes these iris scissors in Sialkot, Pakistan, in five lengths and four blade builds. The standard blade is plain medical grade stainless steel. The Supercut blade carries a razor ground edge and a black handle, so theatre staff can pick it off a tray without reading the etch. The tungsten carbide blade carries a carbide insert and a gold handle, and holds its edge through far more reprocessing cycles than plain steel. Every pair is passivated, boil tested, ultrasonically cleaned, laser marked and individually packed, and ships non sterile and fully autoclavable.

Care and reprocessing

Wash iris scissors in an ultrasonic bath and make sure the fluid reaches the points, because dried blood at the tip is what blunts a fine scissor first. Put a drop of instrument lubricant on the screw joint after every cycle. A dry joint stiffens, and a stiff scissor pushes tissue ahead of the blade instead of cutting it. Autoclave them in the open position so steam reaches the whole joint. Do not cut wire, suture packets or drape with them. That is what rolls the edge on a fine scissor, and no sharpening fully brings a rolled edge back.

Frequently asked questions

What are iris scissors used for?

Iris scissors cut thin tissue and fine suture. They were made for eye surgery and are now used in blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, ENT work, micro surgery and general plastic surgery, and for taking out fine stitches after an operation.

Why are they called iris scissors?

Iris scissors are named after the iris of the eye. The pattern was made for iridectomy, the eye operation in which a piece of the iris is cut away, and the name stayed on the instrument even though most pairs sold today are used in plastic surgery rather than in the eye.

What is the difference between curved and straight iris scissors?

The curved pattern lets the surgeon see past the blade tip while cutting, so it is reached for more often in dissection. The straight pattern cuts in the line of the hand and suits trimming a skin edge or dividing suture. Most surgeons keep both on the tray.

How long are iris scissors?

Iris scissors are 9 cm to 14 cm long overall. Adas Instruments makes them in 9 cm, 10.5 cm, 11.5 cm, 12.5 cm and 14 cm, each in a straight and a curved pattern.

What is the difference between iris scissors and Mayo scissors?

Iris scissors have short blades and two sharp fine points, and cut thin tissue and suture near the surface. Mayo scissors are longer, heavier and blunt tipped, and are built to cut tough tissue such as fascia. A surgeon making a fine cut close to the skin takes an iris scissor. A surgeon cutting fascia takes a Mayo.

Related instruments and categories

Metzenbaum Scissors, Blunt Dissecting, 14.6 cm to 27.5 cm, Curved or Str is listed alongside it and links back here, so the two can be ordered together.

Mayo Scissors, Curved or Straight, 14 cm to 23 cm, Razor Edge and Tungst is listed alongside it and links back here, so the two can be ordered together.