Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Laparoscopic instruments are the long, slender, hand-operated tools that pass through small ports in the abdominal wall during laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. Searchers also call them laparoscopy surgical instruments or surgical instruments laparoscopic; they are the same product class. Who uses them: surgeons and operating-room teams, and the sterile processing, procurement and biomedical staff who handle, stock and reprocess them.
What laparoscopic instruments are
A laparoscopic instrument is a working tool used alongside the camera system. The scope provides the view (see what a laparoscope is) and ports give access (see what a trocar is); the instruments described here are what the operator passes through those ports to grasp, dissect, cut, suture, irrigate or apply energy. A 2015 review in the RANZCOG magazine O&G, Laparoscopic surgical tools: a review (Yadav, O’Shea and Behnia-Willison), groups them into graspers, scissors, needle holders, suction and irrigation devices, energy devices and organ manipulators.
U.S. federal regulation defines the general category of manual surgical instruments in 21 CFR 878.4800 as a “nonpowered, hand-held, or hand manipulated device, either reusable or disposable” for general surgical procedures. The regulation lists examples such as applicator, clip applier, cannula, forceps, hemostat, instrument guide and needle guide. It does not single out laparoscopic instruments by name.
How they are built
The 2015 review describes the working parts of a hand instrument as a handle at one end and a jaw or tip at the other. Handle styles include ring, pistol and co-axial designs, and some handles carry a ratchet that locks the jaws closed. Jaws differ in how they open and what their surfaces are like (see the table below). Instruments can be reusable or disposable, as the federal definition above states.
Types and variants
| Type | Typical use | Key difference |
|---|---|---|
| Graspers, single-action jaws | Holding with firm closing force; the review notes they suit needle drivers | One fixed jaw and one articulated jaw; closes with stronger force |
| Graspers, double-action jaws | Dissection | Both jaws move; open wider than single-action jaws |
| Traumatic vs atraumatic jaw surfaces | Secure grip vs gentle handling | Toothed surfaces (traumatic) vs finely serrated surfaces (atraumatic) |
| Scissors | Cutting | Curved-tip, Metzenbaum-like designs are common; many connect to an electrosurgical unit; tip designs vary. See surgical scissors types |
| Needle holders (needle drivers) | Holding a needle | Jaws curved or straight, flat or finely serrated; self-righting types have a dome-shaped indentation that orients the needle |
| Suction and irrigation | Fluid delivery and removal | Multipurpose devices with a trumpet or sliding valve, powered by a pressure bag or pump |
| Energy devices | Sealing, coagulating, cutting | Monopolar, bipolar, advanced bipolar, harmonic, combined and morcellator types; see the energy notes below |
| Uterine manipulators | Positioning the uterus and expanding operating space | Described in the review as a distinct tool group |
For hand-held holding instruments in general (not specific to laparoscopy), see medical forceps types.
Energy devices: what the review says
Per the 2015 review, classic bipolar devices seal and coagulate but lack the ability to cut, while some newer advanced bipolar devices have an integrated cutting mechanism. Harmonic devices use ultrasonic vibration, and the active blade becomes very hot and can stay hot for some time after activation.
How regulators classify the families
| Family | Regulation | What the regulation says | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| General manual instruments | 21 CFR 878.4800 | Nonpowered, hand-held or hand manipulated device, reusable or disposable, for general surgical procedures | Class I (general controls), exempt from premarket notification subject to the limitations in 21 CFR 878.9 |
| Electrosurgical cutting and coagulation devices | 21 CFR 878.4400 | Intended to remove tissue and control bleeding by use of high-frequency electrical current | Class II |
| Endoscopes and accessories | 21 CFR 876.1500 | Provide access, illumination and allow observation or manipulation of body cavities, hollow organs and canals | Class II (special controls); only the devices named in 876.1500(b)(1), e.g. single-use endoscopic grasping/cutting instruments, are exempt from 510(k) subject to 876.9; certain accessories listed in (b)(2), such as photographic accessories, bite blocks and cleaning brushes, are Class I. |
Two caveats from the regulations themselves: 878.4800 states that instruments with specialized use in one medical specialty are classified under other regulations, and 876.1500 does not apply to endoscopes with specialized uses in other specialty areas. The text of 878.4400 and 876.1500 does not name laparoscopic instruments, so the class of a specific product depends on its labeled intended use, not on the word laparoscopic.
How to compare instruments
This page gives no purchasing recommendation. The references do describe distinctions that matter when comparing instruments:
- Closing force vs opening width. Single-action jaws close with stronger force; double-action jaws open wider and suit dissection (2015 review).
- Jaw surface. Toothed surfaces give a secure grip; finely serrated surfaces are gentler (2015 review).
- Energy type. Classic bipolar devices cannot cut, though some advanced bipolar devices include a cutting mechanism; harmonic blades stay hot after activation (2015 review).
- Reusable or disposable. Both are within the federal definition of manual surgical instruments (21 CFR 878.4800).
- Regulatory class and intended use. Read the product labeling for its intended use, since the class follows from it (see the table above).
Safe use and handling basics
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use for the specific instrument, including its cleaning, disinfection, sterilization and inspection instructions. The 2015 review also cautions that a hot harmonic blade remains hot after activation.
Common mistakes
- Assuming one grasper suits every task. The review ties single-action jaws to needle driving and double-action jaws to dissection.
- Overlooking suction behavior. The review notes that tissue can be drawn into a suction probe.
- Treating every energy device as a cutter. The review says classic bipolar devices seal and coagulate but lack the ability to cut; check the labeling for what a specific device does.
- Treating the classification as uniform. Manual instruments, electrosurgical devices and endoscope accessories fall under different regulations and classes.
Frequently asked questions
What are laparoscopic instruments?
They are the long, slender hand instruments passed through ports during laparoscopic surgery to grasp, dissect, cut, suture, irrigate or apply energy. The 2015 O&G Magazine review groups them into graspers, scissors, needle holders, suction and irrigation devices, energy devices and organ manipulators.
How does the FDA classify laparoscopic instruments?
There is no single class. Under 21 CFR 878.4800, nonpowered manual instruments for general surgical use are Class I and exempt from premarket notification subject to 21 CFR 878.9. Electrosurgical cutting and coagulation devices (21 CFR 878.4400) are Class II. Endoscopes and accessories (21 CFR 876.1500) are Class II under special controls, with certain accessories Class I. The class of a specific product follows from its labeled intended use.
What is the difference between single-action and double-action graspers?
According to the 2015 review, single-action jaws close with a stronger force and suit an instrument such as a needle driver, while double-action jaws open wider and suit dissection.
Are laparoscopic instruments reusable or disposable?
Both. The federal definition of a manual surgical instrument in 21 CFR 878.4800 covers devices that are either reusable or disposable. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use for the specific instrument.
Sources
- 21 CFR 878.4800, Manual surgical instrument for general use, eCFR, checked 2026-10-29: ecfr.gov
- 21 CFR 878.4400, Electrosurgical cutting and coagulation device and accessories, eCFR, checked 2026-10-29: ecfr.gov
- 21 CFR 876.1500, Endoscope and accessories, eCFR, checked 2026-10-29: ecfr.gov
- Yadav, O’Shea, Behnia-Willison. Laparoscopic surgical tools: a review. O&G Magazine (RANZCOG), Vol 17 No 4, Summer 2015, checked 2026-10-29: ogmagazine.org.au
