Name five basic instrument categories and one example each.

• A. Grasping/holding: Debakey forceps; Clamping/occluding: Kelly clamp; Cutting/dissecting: Metzenbaum scissors; Probing/dilating: Probe; Needle driving: Needle holder.
• B. Protecting/holding: Babcock forceps; Cutting: Scalpel handle; Suturing: Needle driver; Retracting: Zeitner retractor; Grasping: Tissue forceps.
• C. Holding: Adson forceps; Unerve: Mosquito clamps; Dissecting: Iris scissors; Probing: Otoscope; Driving: Suture passer.
• D. Holding: Mayo scissors; Clamping: Gelfoam; Cutting: Metzenbaum; Probing: Fogarty catheter; Driving: Curette.

Answer: (C)

Five basic instrument categories cover the main actions you’ll perform with tools: holding tissue, clamping or occluding, cutting or dissecting, probing or dilating, and driving sutures or passing material through tissue. In this set, holding is shown by Adson forceps, which are designed to grasp and hold delicate tissue securely without crushing. Clamping is illustrated by mosquito clamps, small precision clamps used to occlude vessels or secure tissue during a procedure. Cutting/dissecting is represented by Iris scissors, a fine instrument made for precise cutting in delicate areas. Probing is demonstrated by an otoscope, a tool used to examine and explore internal passages and openings, illustrating the probing/dilating function in a practical sense. Driving is captured by the suture passer, which facilitates placing or driving sutures through tissue where a needle might be difficult to pass. Together, these examples map cleanly to the five fundamental instrument roles you’ll need to recognize in practice.