Benefits of Using Scallop-Shaped Drills in Surgery

If someone hears the word surgery, most probably think of doctors using scalpels, forceps and other conventional instruments. What might surprise you is that many doctors use drills in surgeries especially where the treatment involves bones. And not any kind of drills – some of the most sophisticated surgical drills have scallop-shape. In this post, we will look at why these scallop-shaped drills are picking up in operating rooms across the globe.

Whoever stated that manufacturers should always conform to the conventional methods of production and use cylindrical drills must have never seen scallop-shaped drills.

Ok, firstly let’s explain what we mean by ‘scallop-shaped drills.’ These countersinks are launched to surgeons equipped with the cutting edge resembling a scallop, the curves in the shape of a scallop shell. It has a rather peculiar shape which is not simply an aesthetic choice as you will see because it will have several useful functions shortly.

Advantages of Using Scallop-Shaped Drills in Surgery

Improved Cutting Efficiency

Another major advantage of scallop-shaped drills is that they have a better cutter penetration rate in bone material than rotary drill bits. It also features a scalloped edge which provides small cutting facets that enable it to shave off meat from the bones without much fuss.

Think of it like this: try to picture one preparing to dig a hole in the sand using a flat-edged tool rather than a jagged one. The idea that it has a serrated part was probably with the intention that it would be much easier to slash through the sand, correct? It is for this reason that scallop-shaped drills and bones also follow this same theory.

This has led to improvement in the time that surgeries take to be accomplished and this is positive to the patient as well as the surgeon.

Reduced Heat Generation

Heat is a big concern when drilling into bone. Any excessive heat can especially harm the nearby tissue and as well delay the process of recovery. The conventional drill bits may cause a lot of heat to be produced as a result of friction particularly when used at great speeds.

Scallop-shaped drills, however, are reported to produce lesser heat. The spaces between the scallops allow for better cooling and help chips (small pieces of bone) to clear away more easily. 

This makes things a bit smoother and because of this, there is less friction and thus heat is minimized. Reducing the amount of heat leads to a reduction in thermal damage to the bone and other adjoining tissues which in turn would help patients have better results. Reduced Stresses 

A scalloped design on drills produces less cutting stresses than conventional drill bits due to the reduced stresses. Instead of a blade with a long uninterrupted cutting surface, the scallops are formed, embracing according to a curved shape many small cutting points which successively enter in contact with the bone.

This smoother action has several benefits:

• It can reduce vibration, making the drill easier for the surgeon to control
• It can create a cleaner cut in the bone, which may help with healing
• It can reduce the risk of the drill slipping or skidding on the bone surface
• Better Debris Removal

During the drilling into the bone, one has to ensure that the bone chips or debris formed are removed time and time again. If these chips are not cleared properly they collect on the dye and the drill bit, reduce the cutting efficiency and increase the heat produced.

The spaces between the scallops on these specialized drill bits provide channels for debris to move away from the cutting site. This is similar to how the spaces between the teeth on a saw help clear away sawdust.

Better debris removal means the drill can keep working efficiently throughout the procedure, reducing the need for the surgeon to stop and clear the drill.

Versatility

The scalloped drill works on cortical bone as well as cancellous bone since the latter resembles a honeycomb-like structure. This can be very helpful when the surgeon has to deal with one or many bones during surgery.

A few scallop-shaped drills are also built to provide efficient operations that can happen at high and low speeds. Of course, the reason that the authors chose this arrangement is the flexibility that it presents to the surgeon to adapt different techniques used in the course of the procedure.

Opportunity for Shortened patients Recovery Period

Of course, this has been done with an indirect advantage but it is a significant one to mention. Since the use of scallop-shaped drills can provide cleaner and precise incisions which cause little heat damage to tissues; it would help to speed up the rate of healing for patients.

When bone is cut to make clean and sharp edges, that do not invade the overlying soft tissues extensively, the healing tends to be rapid and with little risk of complications. It could translate to patients being discharged earlier from the Hospital and resuming normal activities much faster.

Improved Visibility

The design of some scallop-shaped drills is oriented by visibility. That scalloped edge can act like a shield to hide the bone chips which can otherwise obscure the vision of the surgeon as regards the drilling site.

Also, these drills in some cases may work with better efficiency so, there may be less demand for irrigation during the procedure. This can also assist in keeping clear visibility in the operation theatre for the surgeon.

Reduced Surgeon Fatigue

This may not sound like a patient’s benefit but it is. Scallop-shaped drills which have less vibration of the bur and a greater rate of cutting may be less tiring for the surgeon in the longer term. Reduced fatigue means surgeons can maintain precision and focus throughout long, complex procedures. This can lead to better outcomes for patients.

Adaptability to Robotic Surgery

In an environment where robotic-assisted operation gains popularity, the instruments compatible with these complexes are critical. Most scallop-shaped drills are suitable for arm surgeries since they can cut the tissue very efficiently and accurately as may be desired by the surgical robots.

This versatility suggests that the beneficial properties of scallop-shaped drills can also be enhanced by the advantages of using robotic surgery hopefully translating to even better results for the patient.

Conclusion

They may look like a small modification, although the scallop-shaped drills are doing a great deal in numerous operations, specifically those of the skeletal system. One gets better cutting efficiency, less heat generation, better debris removal and perhaps faster recovery time for patients among other features benefit from the special design of these tools.

The outcome can be attributed to the kind of surgeon who operates the drill and the need of the surgery whereby scallop-shaped drills may or may not work effectively depending on the situation at hand. Nevertheless, the increasing numbers of procedures undertaken by DBS indicate that the device is well appreciated by surgeons.

The next time you or a family member needs surgery where bone is being involved you may wish to ask them whether scallop-shaped drills are going to be used during the surgery. While there are many types of instruments available to surgeons today’s surgical knives are one of the best examples of how the modification of one instrument’s design can revolutionise surgical methods and benefit patients.

Of course, it is important to remind ourselves that modern healthcare technologies are improving constantly and such tools as scallop-shaped drills are introduced to surgeries by other surgeons & engineers who are always looking for ways to make surgeries safer, more efficient and beneficial to the patients.