Surgical Burs: Types, Uses & Applications

A surgical bur is a small rotary cutting tool (tungsten carbide or diamond) for cutting bone, tissue, and hard materials. Available in various shapes/sizes for specific procedures.

Common Types

• Round burs: General cutting/drilling.
• Spear burs: Pointed tip for holes, removing small bone/tissue pieces.
• Fluted burs: Spiral flute for efficient cutting.
• Crosscut burs: Crosscuts create rough surface for large bone/tissue removal.

Applications

• Orthopedic surgery: Joint replacements, fracture repairs.
• Neurosurgery: Brain/spinal cord access, tumor/lesion removal.
• Otolaryngology: Polyp/tumor/obstruction removal in nose, throat, ears.
• Dentistry: Tooth cutting, decay removal, prep for fillings/crowns.

Surgical burs are essential for safe, efficient performance of diverse procedures.