AORN 2026: Surgical Staff Give Overwhelmingly Positive Feedback on Anzen Safety Scalpel April 14, 2026
June 10, 2026Nearly 9 in 10 demo attendees expressed interest in evaluating the Anzen Safety Scalpel at their facility
New Orleans, Louisiana – MediPurpose, a medical products company specializing in sharps safety devices, exhibited at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Global Surgical Conference & Expo 2026 in New Orleans, LA from April 11 to 14, 2026.
AORN Global Surgical Conference & Expo is one of the largest gatherings of perioperative nurses and surgical professionals, bringing together thousands of OR nurses, surgical technicians, and healthcare leaders to advance patient and staff safety in the surgical setting.
Attendees who participated in a live demo of the Anzen Safety Scalpel provided overwhelmingly positive feedback — and 46% said they want to evaluate the scalpel at their facility, with an additional 43% saying they would consider it. Attendees appreciated the side-mounted activation button, noting that top-button designs interfere with natural scalpel grip. The reusable handle was praised for feeling solid and durable, a stark contrast to competing plastic handle safety scalpels. Attendees also highlighted that the blade is never exposed unless attached to the handle, and that the cartridge cannot be removed while the blade is exposed. As one attendee put it, “The side button feels much more natural than top-button designs.”
What makes a safety scalpel truly effective goes beyond simply shielding the blade — it comes down to how the device integrates into surgical workflow without compromising control, tactile feedback, or speed. Research into surgical technologist and surgeon preferences has consistently pointed to the same priorities: a handle that mimics the feel of a conventional scalpel, an activation mechanism that doesn’t disrupt grip, and a blade-shielding system that operates reliably without demanding extra steps from the user. Surgeons, in particular, have emphasized that safety features must be invisible during use — present when needed, but never a source of hesitation or distraction. The AORN 2026 feedback suggests the Anzen Safety Scalpel meets this bar, with attendees specifically calling out its side-mounted button and solid handle construction as design choices that respect how surgical teams actually work. The Anzen safety scalpel is very similar to a box cutter or utility knife, making it intuitive to use.
These findings come on the heels of a sharps injury survey conducted at the event, which revealed alarming rates of sharps incidents among OR staff. To read the full survey results, click here.
“Sharps injuries in the OR are far too common, and the solution has to be a device that feels as good as it performs. The enthusiasm we saw at AORN 2026 reinforces our belief that the Anzen Safety Scalpel is that device — one that surgical teams will reach for not because they have to, but because they want to,” says Patrick Yi, CEO and founder of MediPurpose.
To learn more about the Anzen Safety Scalpel, visit anzenscalpel.com.