Your operating room is a high–stakes environment where you and your staff, quite literally, cannot afford to drop the ball… or the scalpel, cautery, or suction. Instrument trays are either designed for magnetized tools or simply can’t be kept in the sterile field. You’re reaching across and twisting your spine dozens of times per procedure, and it’s all a recipe for dropped instruments, sharps injuries, contamination, and busted surgical workflows.
You risk compromised patient outcomes, staff burnout, and substantial financial burdens on your healthcare system due to wasted time in the O.R. That’s why we partner with Medicalock to promote and sell SurgiLock, their groundbreaking line of surgical instrument trays, platforms, and patient positioning foam – all designed to revolutionize instrument and surgical field management to elevate safety standards in the operating room – ulitmately saving you time and money.
The Risks in Your Operating Room: Sharps, Drops, and Delays
Surgery comes with risks. That’s the inherent nature of surgical procedures: sharp instruments, delicate tissues, and critical sterility requirements. You’re working in a complex environment where even small lapses can have significant consequences. Here are the three biggest offenders when it comes to surgical safety:
The Persistent Threat of Sharps Injuries
The risk of sharps injuries—accidental punctures from needles, scalpels, blades, and other sharp surgical instruments—remains a pervasive and serious concern for surgeons and surgical staff. These injuries not only cause immediate pain and trauma to healthcare professionals but also carry the grave risk of transmitting bloodborne pathogens such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV.
Of course, infection control protocols and a host of safety devices have been implemented over the years. The sheer volume of sharps used every day and the dynamic nature of surgical procedures mean that accidental sticks still happen. The reliance on manual instrument handling and reaching/passing presents a direct pathway for these incidents, too.
Drops: Beware of Contamination and Instrument Damage
The integrity of your sterile field is constantly under threat. Accidental drops of surgical instruments can breach sterility, introducing microorganisms and significantly increasing the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs).
In 2023 alone, an estimated 210,900 SSIs were associated with inpatient surgeries in the U.S., a number that continues to rise annually by 4% to 5% due to improper practices during surgical procedures. (U.S. CDC Healthcare–associated infection (HAI) prevalence survey, 2025.)
Even something as simple as getting a replacement for that dropped instrument has hidden costs, too:
- The risk of patient infection increases exponentially each time an O.R. door is opened during a surgical procedure.
- Hospitals that cannot eliminate instrument drops waste an average of $1,800 per surgery – or nearly $28 million annually.
Surgical Workflow Inefficiencies and OR Delays
Smooth, fast surgery relies heavily on an efficient workflow and readily accessible, properly managed instruments. Disorganization, the need for redundant instrument passes, and the time spent searching for misplaced items all contribute to delays.
These delays can prolong anesthesia times, increase patient risk, and disrupt the surgical schedule, leading to cascading effects throughout the hospital. Common surgical delays, like a sharps injury or dropped instrument, adding up to even 10 minutes per procedure, could cost you and your hospital the ability to perform one entire procedure per day, on average.
Introducing SurgiLock: Helping You Stick It to Surgical Delays & Risks
Medicalock’s SurgiLock line of products is here to help you set a new standard for safety in the operating room, secure better patient outcomes, and increase your surgical schedule’s efficiency.
Surgilock Instrument Trays and Positioning Foam Pads offer a comprehensive solution that addresses the persistent issues of instrument management and patient stability in the sterile field. These products are engineered to provide superior security, reduce intraoperative risks, and streamline the surgical workflow. By focusing on advanced material science and user–centric design, Surgilock products help you elevate the standard of care in your operating room.
“Surgilock is going to revolutionize how we perform surgeries.” Dr. Paul A. Glazer, M.D. – Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).
Understanding ElasTak®: The Science Behind Secure Adhesion
At the heart of Surgilock‘s innovation lies ElasTak adhesive technology. This proprietary adhesive polymer represents a significant advancement in how surgical instruments are managed and how patients are positioned, offering a unique combination of secure adhesion, easy removability, and patient–friendly properties. Unlike traditional methods that often rely on magnets or less reliable adhesives, ElasTak provides a versatile and dependable solution that enhances the integrity of the sterile field and improves patient comfort and safety.
SurgiLock is not merely a single product but a sophisticated safety platform engineered to provide a holistic approach to surgical instrument management. At its core, the platform comprises two key components: the SurgiLock® Instrument Platform and SurgiLock® Positioning Foam. The Instrument Platform serves as a secure anchor for all surgical instruments, virtually eliminating the need for direct hand–to–hand passing and thereby drastically reducing the risk of sharps injuries or repetitive stress injuries.
Surgilok Positioning Foam offers advanced patient stabilization, further enhancing safety and procedural precision. Together, these elements create an integrated system that elevates safety standards and optimizes the surgical environment.
No Magnets Necessary
Traditional magnetic instrument trays, while seemingly convenient, pose several potential risks in the operating room. Magnets can interfere with sensitive electronic equipment, pose a hazard if they detach and become foreign bodies, and their strength can sometimes make instrument retrieval awkward or lead to instruments sticking together. Magnets also don’t help you with plastic or silicone surgical instruments or tubing.
Surgilock’s ElasTak® technology eliminates these concerns by providing a secure, non–magnetic alternative. Put simply, Surgilock Instrument Trays hold everything – metal or non–metal.
Residue–Free, Patient–Friendly Adhesion
A common complaint with many adhesive products used in healthcare settings is the stubborn residue they leave behind. This can be problematic for patient skin, requiring additional time and effort for cleanup, and can sometimes even damage drapes or surfaces. ElasTak® adhesive polymer is engineered to be residue–free. When you remove it, it leaves no sticky stuff behind on the patient’s skin, surgical drapes, or the operating table. It’s like it was never there.
“I love using it. The instruments are in front of me, nothing falls off the operating room table. It makes things more efficient.”Dr. Severko Hrywnak, M.D., D.P.M, CEO and Director of Medical Education – Advanced Ambulatory Surgical Center, Chicago
Surgilock Instrument Trays: Precision, Organization, and Stability
Surgilock Instrument Trays are designed to create a stable and organized platform for surgical instruments. The ElasTak® adhesive polymer ensures that instruments, including frequently used items like suction irrigation devices, remain firmly in place throughout the procedure. This secure placement prevents instruments from sliding, falling, or becoming dislodged, thereby safeguarding the sterile field from contamination and reducing the likelihood of instruments becoming unintentionally retained. By providing a dedicated, reliable surface for instruments, surgical teams can maintain better situational awareness and focus on the patient, knowing their tools are secure and readily accessible.
The reduction in dropped instruments, the prevention of potential contamination, and the assured availability of necessary tools all contribute to a safer surgical environment, lessening the chances of costly errors or complications.
Whether used in delicate neurosurgery requiring the precise placement of micro–instruments, in orthopedic procedures demanding secure handling of heavier tools, or in general surgery where organization is key, these trays provide a consistent level of security and efficiency. Their ability to adhere reliably to various surfaces and accommodate a diverse array of surgical instruments means that healthcare facilities can implement a standardized yet flexible approach to instrument management, benefiting surgical teams and patients across all specialties.
Surgilock Positioning Foam Pads: Unmatched Patient Comfort and Stability
Tools and instruments aren’t the only things you need to stay put during a procedure. Your patient needs to stay in place, too.
Surgilock® Positioning Foam Pads are revolutionary in their ability to secure patients and their limbs during surgical procedures. The ElasTak® adhesive polymer locks the pad to the operating table and the patient to the pad. The result is a stable foundation that prevents patient slippage, a common cause of injury and procedural complications.
The design of the foam itself, characterized by soft, supportive open cells, offers gentle yet firm support, conforming to the patient’s anatomy to provide comfort and distribute pressure evenly. Each pad is constructed with high–quality, biodegradable foam that provides the necessary support and cushioning
This pressure–relieving foam is essential for preventing skin breakdown and ensuring patient well–being, especially during lengthy procedures. Need to reposition? No problem: these pads can be repositioned without losing their adhesive integrity. You can make the adjustments you need without worrying about straps and stickers.
Whether a procedure requires a broad base for torso support, specialized shapes for limb positioning, or delicate cradles for head and neck stability, Surgilock offers a comprehensive selection of shapes and sizes.
Better Surgical Safety is Here: Take the Next Step Towards a Safer O.R.
Surgilock Instrument Trays and Positioning Foam Pads, powered by the groundbreaking ElasTak® adhesive technology, provide unparalleled stability for both surgical instruments and patient positioning. Unlike anything else on the market, SurgiLock® with ElasTak® technology holds what you need in surgery, exactly where you need it.
The residue–free, patient–friendly nature of ElasTak®, combined with the comfort and support of the specialized foam pads, ensures a superior experience for patients. For surgical teams, the enhanced organization, reduced intraoperative risks, and streamlined workflow will translate into greater confidence, superior safety, better surgical efficacy, and better patient outcomes.
These solutions can help you achieve greater precision, stability, and peace of mind during every surgical procedure. Take the next step towards a safer, more productive surgical environment by integrating Surgilock into your practice today – get your health system’s custom pricing and try a case today.
