The Cutlers Surgical Prize

Dr Dan Saleh and Dr Andrea Utley win one of the most prestigious surgical prizes with their jointly developed Yorkshire Micro Forcep.

The Cutlers' Surgical Prize was instituted in 1981 and has become established as one of the most prestigious annual prizes for innovation in the design or application of surgical instruments or surgical techniques. The presentation is made at a dinner held at Cutlers' Hall in the spring of each year, winners are awarded the Clarke medal.

Each year the specialist associations, in conjunction with The Royal College of Surgeons of England, choose a clinician (or a team including a clinician) who has performed outstanding work in the field of instrumentation or technical development in any branch of patient investigation or treatment. The principal object of the award is to promote innovation in the design of surgical instruments and techniques. To this end The Cutlers’ Surgical Prize is awarded annually to a surgeon who has performed outstanding work in the field of instrumentation, or technical development in any branch of surgery. Entries are judged by representatives of the specialist surgical associations, in conjunction with the Royal College of Surgeons who recommend which of the entrants should receive the award.

This year’s prize winner was Dr Dan Saleh and Dr Andrea Utley who jointly developed the Yorkshire Micro Forcep. The Yorkshire Micro Forcep is a specialist tool for repairing capillaries and its design reduces potential damage to the capillary wall and places less stress on the surgeon’s hands.