Amputation Knife

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pmel018

Joined
May 12, 2004
Messages
909
Hi Guys
I just purchased a surgical knife that was labeled Cateran Amputation Knife. It came from a local surplus store and has been part of a surgeon's kit. Light , slim and double edged with a better grip and a small guard it would look like a slim dagger. Anyone know a website with pictures of such tools.
Thanks Phil :confused:
 
Hi There
Thanks for that, mine is all metal( I assume stainless). The handle is a sperate part with the tang drawn through and peened over. The seller thought it may be Swedish
Maybe someone has a site with modern medical instruments shown/
Phil

They are called Catlin knives, a thin double edged dagger-like instrument used to seperate muscle and ligaments also used when performing an amputation using the 'flap' technique. ain't google great.
Phil
 
I can't imagine why they would want a double edged blade for that !!
 
A Liston knife is used in amputations too. It's a single edge, that they use to cut down to the bone, then they use a saw.
 
hi Guys
yes those surgical tools have a certain crepyness about them, although the antique ones in the site listed above are beautiful.
Liston was a very famous surgeon and designed the knife bearing his name, I couldn't trace the origin of "catlin'' though.
I'm led to believe the double edge was for the two cuts required during the amputation( flap style) it saved time and pain as the first cut was made with the top edge and immediately the second cut wih the lower edge. Speed reduced shock, bleeding and the chance of infection in the "Good Old Days"
Happy to live in the modern
Phil :)
 
Saws for bone, sharp knives for the meat. if you have a look at the boxed tool kits on the website in th 2nd post you can see the whole deal. knives, saws, files, pincers etc.
aint progress grand.
Phil
 
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