We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Surgical Stapler?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: Feb 19, 2024
Views: 10,158
Share

A surgical stapler is a medical device which is used to place surgical staples. Staples are used to close wounds ranging from bowel resections to skin incisions, and they are found widely all over the world in surgical settings. Before having surgery, patients may want to ask their surgeons about which method will be used for wound closure, and if there will be special precautions for after care. Patients should also alert their surgeons to any metal allergies, as surgical staples are usually alloys, and the surgeon will not want to place staples if a patient is allergic to a metal such as nickel.

Surgical staplers were developed in response to concerns about the healing of traditional sutures. Evidence seemed to suggest that sutures were more prone to leaks and separation, although further study indicates that when placed properly, conventional sutures are perfectly safe. However, the development of the surgical stapler also created a number of advantages, including speed, accuracy, and evenness of wound closure, which made the stapler a useful operating room tool. Both stapling and suturing are taught to surgeons, and training about the appropriate settings for each technique is also provided.

There are several surgical stapler designs on the market, intended for different types of staple placement. Some surgeons like to use disposable staplers, which are fitted with disposable cartridges and used on a single patient. Others use reusable staplers made from stainless steel. In this case, a disposable cartridge is used, and the stapler is sterilized after use so that it can be used on another patient. Reusable staplers generate less surgical waste, but energy is required to sterilize them, so the net environmental impact when compared to a disposable product is not very different.

A related tool to the surgical stapler is a clip applier, a device which is used to apply surgical clips. Both clips and staples can be used on many different types of surgical wounds and incisions. Once the healing process is complete, they can be removed. Removal is accomplished with a surgical staple remover which is designed to remove staples with minimal trauma to the surgical site.

On surface wounds, some scarring will be created by the surgical stapler. The site of the incision itself will form a scar, and small scars can form at the sites where staples were inserted. Some techniques can be used to minimize scarring and to promote healing with minimal scarring, and these can be discussed with a surgeon if a patient is concerned about the potential for scars after a surgical procedure.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGeek researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By anon85199 — On May 19, 2010

in your opinion, is stitches or staples a better choice? I have a deep laceration on my arm that required eight staples. i also thought that getting staples is because it's a deeper wound and more widespread? Can you help me?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.wise-geek.com/what-is-a-surgical-stapler.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.