Finding and buying the best quality surgical instrument makes a huge impact on your surgical performance. Not only this, but a good quality material makes your surgical equipment last longer in your operating rooms due to its higher durability and saves you from spending thousands of bucks over and over again. Two of the most common materials used for manufacturing surgical instruments are stainless steel and surgical steel. But people often get confused between the two. If you want to understand the difference between stainless steel vs surgical steel, we are here to guide you!
What is stainless steel?
Stainless steel is generally considered a fusion of carbon and iron. It is enriched with alloying elements such as nickel, chromium, and molybdenum. Also, the chromium content in it is around 10.5% which is responsible for preventing rust and corrosion. This is done by forming a protective layer on the steel surface. Also, this material is known for its versatile properties and finds extensive applications across multiple fields. Moreover, stainless steel is known for its exceptional attributes including hardness, formability, heat resistance, and corrosion resistance rendering it a preferred material globally.
What is surgical steel?
Surgical steel is a kind of stainless steel specifically made for biomedical instruments and devices. This type of steel is extremely useful for biomedical use as it comprises higher levels of corrosion resistance. Moreover, it consists of 2-3% molybdenum that offers superior resistance against corrosion. Also, this steel is also known as surgical stainless but it doesn’t have any formal definition to date.
Moreover, it has a hypoallergenic nature that reduces the risk of causing infections in sensitive individuals. Some of the widely acceptable surgical steel include Martensitic 440, Austenitic 316, Martenistic 420.316L, and 316 LVM. These grades are also referred to as implanting grades as they are ideally useful for manufacturing human implants. One important consideration is that 316L is a low-carbon variant of 316. On the other hand, 316 LVM undergoes low-carbon vacuum melting, a process that safeguards against air contamination of metal molecules.
Surgical steel is majorly used for the manufacturing of surgical tools such as retractors, forceps, needle holders, etc. Not only this, this type of steel is also useful in dental and orthopedic implant devices.
Difference between stainless steel vs surgical steel
There are multiple similarities between stainless steel and surgical steel including heat resistance, corrosion resistance, rust prevention durability, etc. However, here are a few major differences that make these materials different from each other. Let’s find out:
Composition
Despite the fact that both stainless steel and surgical steel comprise chromium as a primary alloying element, the level of chromium is generally higher in surgical steel. Also, the level of other additional elements such as molybdenum also higher in surgical steel making them more suitable for stringent medical requirements. Moreover, the level of carbon is generally lower in surgical steel which boosts its corrosion and staining resistance properties.
Corrosion resistance
As mentioned earlier, surgical steel has an enhanced and superior corrosion resistance property that makes it suitable for prolonged exposure to bodily fluids and sterilization processes encountered in surgical and medical settings.
Biocompatibility
Surgical steel passes through strict medical testing to ensure its nonreactivity and biocompatibility within the human body. this incredible property of surgical steel makes it highly adaptive for medical implants and surgical instruments.
Nickel content
One of the primary differences between these two steels is the level of nickel content. The amount of nickel alloy in surgical steel is lesser as compared to stainless steel making it hypoallergenic in nature. This is crucial in some contexts as nickel alloy has the potential to induce allergic reactions in some individuals. Medical implants and surgical instruments are required to be hypoallergenic in nature to avoid complications in patients.
Different grades
Stainless steel comes in different levels of grades. Whereas, surgical steel itself is a medical-grade stainless steel comprising an elevated concentration of chromium. However, standard stainless steel comprises around 10.5% of the total chromium composition. Whereas, surgical steel typically contains at least 13% chromium.
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Conclusion
The choice between standard stainless steel vs surgical steel is based on the specific requirements including budget, intended application environment, etc. however, surgical steel is a preferable choice for medical and surgical applications. This is so because of their higher attributes related to corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and hypoallergenic properties. On the other hand, when healthcare facilities are primarily focused on general-purpose applications where cost-effectiveness and versatility are major concerns, stainless steel can be more suitable.
Therefore, It is crucial to understand the differences between surgical steel and stainless steel so that you can make informed decisions regarding your healthcare facility.
About The Author
Hidayatul Haq
He is a seasoned SEO professional with three years of experience, currently leading the SEO team at Surgitronox. As a top-rated freelancer on Upwork and Fiverr, he has successfully completed numerous projects, consistently delivering exceptional results.
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