A Short Guide to Medical Gauze Scissors
You have seen them a hundred times—those strange, blunt-tipped scissors with the flat, duckbill-shaped lower blade. They sit in every exam room, every ambulance, and every trauma bay. They are not fancy. They are not expensive. But try removing a bandage from a screaming child or cutting through a blood-soaked shirt without them, and you will understand their value instantly.
These are medical gauze scissors, more commonly known as bandage scissors or trauma shears.
What Are Medical Gauze Scissors?
Medical gauze scissors are a specialized type of scissors designed specifically for cutting bandages, gauze, clothing, and medical dressings without injuring the patient’s skin underneath. Unlike regular scissors, they have a unique blade design that prioritizes safety over precision.
Common names you will hear:
- Bandage scissors
- Trauma shears
- Medical scissors
- Lister bandage scissors (a specific historical design)
- Utility scissors (in a hospital setting)



