What it is: Aesculap ScalpFix

What it's used for: Closing up gushing arteries at the start of a craniotomy

When sawing open someone's skull, it's best to be as efficient as possible. That's why scalp-clip guns like the $1,200 stainless steel ScalpFix are de rigueur on neurosurgeons' instrument trays, providing a quick and simple way to pinch off cranial bleeding. The ScalpFix can deploy its magazine of 10 plastic clips and then be reloaded in seconds. As the trigger is squeezed, a clip moves to the end of the barrel and opens. Upon release, the springy little plastic jaws grab onto the breached area of an artery, stanching the blood flow. After the operation, the doc just removes the clips with forceps, sutures the wound, and sterilizes the gun for the next head case. The 8-ounce device saves several minutes over the course of an hours-long operation. That may not sound like much, but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to know that when someone is bleeding from the noggin, every second counts.