THE HISTORY OF LAPAROSCOPIC GRASPER DEVELOPMENT

There is evidence that primitive versions of surgical tools such as scopes, trocars and scalpels were in use prior to the discovery of metal, with examples of instruments formed from stone, wood, reeds, bone fragments and other organic materials on record. However, it is thought that the first hinged instruments from which modern laparoscopic graspers are descended were not developed until after the discovery of copper and bronze, as organic materials would not have been suitable. One of the earliest examples of surgical forceps, consisting of a pair of bronze limbs bound together by a leather thong to form a pivot, was found in Greece, dated circa 1450-1400 BC. Archaeological evidence from the ruins of Pompeii suggests that Roman surgeons were using pivoted bronze instruments by 79 AD, and by the time of Arabian surgeon and encyclopaedist Albucasis (936-1013), such tools had evolved into a number of different types designed for specific applications. Modern instruments are typically manufactured from surgical grade stainless steel, and may also incorporate other materials including titanium, tungsten carbide and various plastics.