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An innovative syringe barrel holder of halved razor blade for shave surgery as dermablade
Corresponding author: Dr. Muhammed Mukhtar, Consultant Dermatologist, Department of Dermatology, Mukhtar Skin Centre, Katihar Medical College Road, Katihar, Bihar, India drmmukhtar20@gmail.com
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Received: ,
Accepted: ,
How to cite this article: Mukhtar M. An innovative syringe barrel holder of halved razor blade for shave surgery as dermablade. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 2023;89:925-6.
Problem
A razor blade is often used for shave excision surgery because of it’s sharpness, low cost, and ease of availability.1 However, holding the blade is difficult due to its elasticity and poor finger grip, and there is a risk of finger damage. Several adaptations and devices for better blade handling have been reported.2,3 All of these, however, are time-consuming and expensive. Dermablade is a safer option that has a better grip, although it is more costly and less readily available.4
Solution
We developed a new, low-cost blade holder to get a curved cutting edge similar to that of a dermablade. The blade is cut in half, and the connecting segment on both sides is removed. The blade’s breadth is measured. The distal end of a syringe barrel (3 mL, 5 mL, or more, depending on the need of the cutting edge) is cut 2–3 mm shorter in length than the width of the halved blade. The blade is then cut to fit the diameter (or a bit more, up to half the circumference for simple adjustability) of the cut syringe barrel. Using forceps or fingers, the cutter blade is placed in the centre or rim of the barrel, then compressed and fixed against the barrel’s wall [Fig.1a–d]. Following that, it has a curved blade edge, similar to a dermablade. With this blade holder, shave operations may be performed securely and without risk of finger injuries [Video 1]. Due to its sharpness as compared to a curette, this dermablade may be used for saucerisation, scooping of benign skin lesions, including seborrheic keratosis and shave biopsies. To avoid finger injury while securing the blade in the barrel, the lateral cutting edge of the blade can be trimmed prior to securing the blade in the barrel.
- The modified razor blade is fixed into its syringe barrel holder
- A seborrheic keratosis is shaved with a customised blade with a syringe barrel holder
Declaration of patient consent
The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflict of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
References
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