Joseph Dissecting Scissors, Fine Nasal and Facial Rhinoplasty

What Joseph dissecting scissors are

From the first cut at the nasal tip to the release of the alar cartilages, Joseph dissecting scissors do the fine work of a rhinoplasty. Theatre lists and catalogues both shorten the name, so you will see the same instrument sold as Joseph nasal scissors. The blades are slim and tapered with sharp tips, thin along their whole length so they enter a narrow field without lifting the tissue above them. The pattern takes a standard finger ring handle, comes curved or straight, and is built by Adas Instruments from high quality medical grade stainless steel. A surgeon reaches for a pair when a Metzenbaum is too heavy for the plane and an iris scissor is too small for the cut. Blade length is confirmed on the order, because the options in the shop cover the blade build and the curve rather than the length.

Why this pattern rather than a heavier scissor

The blades are thin along their whole length, not just at the tip, so they enter a narrow field without lifting the tissue above them. That is the whole point of Joseph surgical scissors: the surgeon can see past the instrument. A heavier dissecting scissor blocks the view at exactly the moment the cut matters, and the plane gets found by feel instead of by sight.

The trade-off is edge life. A thin blade has less steel behind the edge, so it dulls sooner than a general scissor and it cannot be used as a suture scissor even once. On a busy list the carbide builds below are what keep a pair of Joseph dissecting scissors cutting for years instead of months, and fine nasal scissors of any make live or die on that one choice.

Clinical applications

Joseph dissecting scissors turn up on four kinds of list, and the build that suits each one is not the same.

Blade and edge guide, the six builds we make

All six builds are offered on Joseph dissecting scissors, and the choice moves the price more than anything else on this page.

Curved or straight

Straight blades follow the line of the nose and are what most surgeons use for tip and columellar work. Curved blades follow the contour of the cheek and the orbital rim, which is why they end up on facelift and blepharoplasty trays more often than on rhinoplasty ones. Both curves are stocked on Joseph dissecting scissors, and a practice doing both kinds of list usually keeps one of each rather than compromising on one.

Technical specification

Care and sterilisation

Rinse Joseph dissecting scissors in cool water before anything dries on them. Blood left in the box joint of a fine pair is what turns a light action heavy, and on a scissor this small a brush cannot reach the joint once it has set. Clean ultrasonically with a neutral pH detergent, joint fully open, then lubricate with instrument milk before every cycle. Autoclave at 134 C for 3 minutes and dry fully before storage, because a damp fine tip pits before anything else on the tray does.

Never close these blades on a needle, a wire or a suture. One pass through nylon costs more edge than a whole case of tissue, and on a blade this thin it shows in the next case rather than next month. Keep chlorine detergents away from the ceramic coated builds: the coating is hard but thin, and a mark in it stays for the life of the instrument. When the tips stop meeting cleanly, see our guide on how to sharpen surgical scissors before sending the pair anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

What are Joseph dissecting scissors used for?

Dissecting the nasal tip and columella, releasing the alar cartilages, and fine plane work on the face where a heavier scissor would tear the tissue instead of cutting it. They are rhinoplasty scissors and a facial plastic surgery instrument rather than a general theatre scissor.

Curved or straight for rhinoplasty?

Straight, for most surgeons. The blades follow the line of the nose and the tips stay visible. Curved blades suit the cheek and the orbital rim, so they are the ones that end up on facelift and blepharoplasty trays.

Are the supercut blades worth it on a pattern this fine?

On fibrous or scarred tissue, yes, because the micro serration holds the tissue instead of pushing it ahead of the blade. Remember that a supercut edge costs more to renew, since the serration has to be re-cut to the original wheel profile rather than flat stoned.

Do the ceramic coated pairs lose their coating in the autoclave?

No. Standard cycles do not touch it. What marks a coating is a chlorine detergent, an abrasive pad, or a drop onto a hard floor, in that order.

How are Joseph scissors different from iris scissors?

Iris scissors are shorter with finer tips and were designed for eye work, so they run out of blade in a nasal plane. Joseph scissors carry the same fineness over a longer blade, which is what lets them reach the tip and still close cleanly.

Related instruments and categories

Joseph dissecting scissors sit in plastic surgery scissors, alongside every other pattern we grind, and in rhinoplasty instruments, which is the tray most buyers of this pattern are building.

For the heavier plane work that a fine pair should not be asked to do, see the Metzenbaum Scissors Razor Edge, which takes the deep blunt dissection this pattern is too light for. For cutting suture and dressings, keep a Mayo Scissors Razor Edge on the tray so the Joseph pair never has to. And where the field is smaller still, the Iris Scissors, Sharp Fine Tip is the pattern that takes over. For the finest intranasal trimming the Converse scissors are only 10 cm long.