What are Metzenbaum scissors primarily used for?

• A. Scissors used for dissecting tissue
• B. Scissors used to cut tissue and materials; sizes vary
• C. Scissors used to hold tissue
• D. Scissors used to grip bone

Answer: (A)

Metzenbaum scissors are designed for dissecting soft tissue. Their long, slender blades and lightweight construction let you work in tight spaces and separate tissue planes with blunt dissection, minimizing trauma to nearby structures. This makes them ideal for precise tissue work during surgical dissection or cleanup of delicate tissue layers. They aren’t the tools for holding tissue (that’s what forceps do) or for gripping bone or cutting through dense material; those tasks are better suited to other instruments. So, their primary use is dissecting tissue.