A skin pen (also surgical pen, surgical marking pen, surgical marker pen, surgical marker, or skin marker pen) is type of

pen PEN may refer to: * (National Ecological Party), former name of the Brazilian political party Patriota (PATRI) * PEN International, a worldwide association of writers ** English PEN, the founding centre of PEN International ** PEN America, located ...

applied to

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...

to create an image. These kinds of pens are frequently used by

surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...

s before proceeding with

surgery Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions (e.g., trauma, disease, injury, malignancy), to alter bodily functions (e.g., malabsorption created by bariatric surgery s ...

for either

medical Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

purposes or cosmetic surgery. They are also often used in tattoo parlours before applying the actual permanent ink. While long-lasting, this ink is temporary, as it has a specific substance that removes it within 3–4 days. The sterile surgical pen was invented by Fery Manteghi in the early 1970s whilst he was working at University College Hospital. Research was carried out with scientists at Atomic Energy Laboratories at Wantage. Research was organised by University College Hospital. Arrangements were made for Mr Manteghi, Mr French (Chief Pharmacist) and Miss Haynes (Deputy Superintendent) to attend Wantage Atomic Energy Laboratories. This was to discuss with the scientists at Wantage the feasibility of sterilising surgical pens using radiation. Trials were successful and safety tests carried out by the UCH pharmaceutical department were also successful. The pens were first used in the main operating theatres at UCH but are now used worldwide. They are an essential tool for surgeons of reconstructive surgery.

References

Pens {{Product-stub

See also

References