Scalpel facts for kids
A scalpel is a very sharp knife. Doctors and surgeons use it for surgery. Scalpels are designed to cut through soft body parts, called tissue.
Contents
What is a Scalpel?
Most scalpels used in surgery today have blades that are only used once. After one use, the blade is replaced with a new, clean one. Sometimes, the handle part of the scalpel can be used again.
How Scalpels Are Made
Scalpel blades are made from different kinds of metal or steel. Sometimes, special materials like titanium, diamond, or obsidian are used.
Special Materials for Scalpels
For example, in a medical test called MRI, strong magnets are used. Metal tools cannot be used near an MRI machine. So, doctors might use scalpels made from non-metal materials like ceramic or plastic.
Scalpels in History
Scalpels have been used for a very long time. In Ancient Egyptian medicine, scalpels were used for embalming. They often used obsidian, a type of volcanic glass, for these sharp tools. Obsidian scalpels are still used today in some special cases.
Ancient Roman Tools
Medicine in ancient Rome also used many different tools. Over 150 types of medical tools were known from that time, and the scalpel was one of them.
Modern Alternatives
Today, doctors sometimes use other methods instead of traditional scalpels. For example, lasers can be used to make very precise cuts. Another method is electrocautery, which uses heat from electricity to cut and seal blood vessels at the same time.
Images for kids
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X-Acto knife
See also
In Spanish: Escalpelo para niños
