On receipt of your new John Weiss instruments, you should remove them from their boxes and examine them under magnification to be assured they are in perfect condition*. Once you have undertaken a full examination and are happy with the instruments they should be cleaned carefully, then placed in a sterilizing tray designed for micro-surgical instruments, such as the John Weiss range of trays.

^{*In the unlikely event that you are unhappy with your instruments in any way you should notify us immediately on +44 (0) 1279 883720 or email sales.uk@haag-streit.com.}

Instruments should be stored in an appropriate microsurgical instrument tray. During surgery, care should be taken not to touch the tips of the instruments either with gloves, the trolley cover or other instruments, as this might lead to damage or blunting. When not in use, the instruments should be returned to the storage tray where they are protected.

Immediately after use, all instruments in the surgical tray should be wiped clean with a sterile, fibre free instrument wipe moistened in demineralized/sterile water. Cannula, suction tubes and other instruments with a lumen should be flushed through immediately after use. Demineralised/sterile water used for flushing should be cool to avoid coagulation of proteinaceous material. Diamond knives require special care.

At the end of surgery, all instruments in the surgical tray should again be wiped clean immediately with a fibre free instrument wipe moistened in demineralised/sterile water. All cannulated instruments must be ultrasonically flushed, or brushed through with an appropriate cleaning brush. Ultrasonic cleaning for 5 – 10 minutes with a neutral pH ultrasonic cleaning solution is recommended for thorough cleaning of almost all ophthalmic instruments. To prevent ion transfer, instruments should be sorted according to their material and type. Titanium and stainless steel should not be mixed in the same ultrasonic cleaning cycle. Instruments must be completely free of moisture before sterilisation.

John Weiss Diamond knives have the finest surgical cutting edge currently available; however, they are also extremely delicate and should be handled with great care. Never touch the cutting edge, as it is extremely sharp. Normal use does not cause any deterioration of the cutting edge, only poor handling, resulting in damage, will cause the blade to lose its sharpness.

John Weiss recommends that the knife be kept in an individual Diamond knife sterilization tray at all times. Only expose the cutting edge immediately prior to use, and retract immediately afterwards to prevent contact with other instruments on the tray. Do not let the diamond touch other instruments or any hard objects. Always keep the diamond cutting edge retracted in the handle when not in use and during sterilization.

Blade damage often occurs during cleaning. Never clean Diamond knives ultrasonically, as the vibration and particles present in the bath will damage the knife. The Diamond knife should be cleaned with a specially-designed Diamond knife cleaning block as soon as possible after the procedure, as dry residual material is difficult to remove. Moistening one end of the block with demineralized/sterile water and gently stabbing the blade vertically into the moistened portion several times cleans the diamond. Gently stabbing the blade vertically into the dry portion of the block several times polishes the diamond. Never exert any sideways pressure on the blade, as this can cause it to snap off completely and never clean the diamond by wiping with a surgical swab, as it may break away from the handle.

A fibre-free instrument wipe, moistened in demineralized/sterile water, can be used to clean the handle. The knife can be sterilized by all normal methods, except hot air sterilisation.

Some instruments may arrive new with plastic protective caps covering the tips. These are intended to protect the instrument in transit and may melt under high temperatures, therefore they must be removed before sterilization.

Only sterilize a clean instrument. The preferred method of sterilization is moist heat in an autoclave at a temperature of 132° to 137°C, for a minimum holding time of 3 to 4 minutes. For effective steam penetration, use perforated ophthalmic trays and open all ratchets and locks on the instruments. Steam at a pH of 7 is ideal for sterilization. Instruments should not be taken from the Sterile Services Department until properly cooled down, as rapid lowering of temperature will cause condensation and may cause corrosion. Instruments must be completely free of moisture before storage.

Please note, that silver products such as some cannulae and lacrimal probes are subject to tarnishing and discoloration. This will in no way affect the performance of the instrument.

Instruments should be secured in specially designed microsurgical trays. It is extremely important that the instruments are held securely and do not touch one another which might result in damage.  Ensure that cutting edges are protected. Please note that descriptions of trays often state the number of instruments that they can hold, this is a recommendation only as instruments come in a variety of sizes and shapes and it is up to the individual to ensure that the tray is not overcrowded. Wrap trays using an appropriate method. Ensure instruments are dry, and stored in a dry, clean condition.

Applying a small amount of surgical grade lubrication oil to hinges, joints and moving parts will reduce wear and protect your instruments.

Unfortunately, even when care is taken, there are times when instruments become damaged, requiring repair or re-sharpening. This is generally due to accidents, e.g. dropping instrument onto floor or misuse (e.g. using micro-scissors to cut dressings). John Weiss instruments are designed for use by surgeons and specialist perioperative staff, who have a good knowledge of their features and how they should be used. Any other use can compromise the safety of the user and the patient and damage the instrument. It is the responsibility of the Surgeon to choose the suitable instrument for the surgical technique being performed, based on their experience and expertise.

For more information regarding care, maintenance, reprocessing and repair recommendations please view the John Weiss Reusable Instruments IFU. These recommendations have been validated, however, it remains the responsibility of the processor to ensure that the processing, as actually performed, achieves the desired result. This requires validation and routine monitoring of the process.

Both stainless steel and titanium scissors can be re-sharpened. Please note, we recommend that when choosing scissors you should pick those made of stainless steel as they will keep sharp for longer than those made of titanium.

The John Weiss range comprises both stainless steel and titanium surgical instruments. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron and chromium. The chromium forms a layer on the surface of the steel and it is this that provides a resistance to surface corrosion. Generally speaking, increasing the amount of chromium increases the resistance to corrosion.

Stainless steel also contains carbon, silicon and manganese in varying amounts, and may have other elements added to alter its behaviour (e.g. make it more malleable or increase its resistance to corrosion). Traditional stainless steel is incredibly hard, strong and durable, as well as resistant to rust. It is particularly suited to the manufacture of scissors, where the stainless steel material used has a higher carbon content so that it stays sharper longer and may be re-sharpened. John Weiss stainless steel complies to all standards and regulations. 

Titanium (Ti) is a lustrous transition metal with a silver colour, low density and high strength. It is highly-resistant to corrosion, even in sea water. Titanium is totally inert, eliminating rust and flakes, and is extremely strong, durable, non-magnetic, non-reflective and lightweight. John Weiss titanium complies to all standards and regulations.

Care should be taken to keep stainless steel instruments away from any magnetic source, as they may become ‘magnetised’. This can, for example, make suturing difficult, as the stainless steel suture needle is attracted to the instrument and it becomes difficult to let go of it. For this reason, many surgeons prefer to use titanium needle holders and suture tying forceps.

We are committed to working with Surgeons in the creation of new instruments to support changes in surgery and the development of new surgical techniques. Please contact us on sales.uk@haag-streit.com or 01279 883720, if you have an idea that you would like to discuss.

Haag-Streit UK sell John Weiss instruments to local distributors in a variety of countries around the world*. If you live outside the UK and are interested in purchasing any of our gold-standard surgical instruments, please contact Rob Morgan at robert.morgan@haag-streit.com. 

^{*Please note, unfortunately we are currently unable to sell John Weiss instruments into the EU.}

HS-UK are able to offer a complete instrument engraving service. Bar coding and/or other individual hospital identification can be laser engraved onto each instrument for complete traceability and audit purposes. To discuss your requirements please contact us at sales.uk@haag-streit.com or +44(0) 1279 883720.

Please note, that all John Weiss instruments already have the individual instrument code engraved on them for identification.

John Weiss was born 1773 in Austria to a family of cutlers and surgical instrument makers. He moved to London and the ‘John White’ business was founded, changing its name back to John Weiss in 1805. Over time, he adjusted the business to manufacture medical instruments becoming extremely skilled at manufacturing the ideas and requests of Physicians. In 1826 he was made a British Citizen and was appointed ‘Razor Maker’ to the King under William IV.