Cleanable guarded surgical scalpel with scalpel blade remover

A guarded surgical scalpel, comprising:

• a handle;
• a guard mounted to the handle for longitudinal and rotary movement with respect to the handle;
• a blade carrier mounted to the guard for longitudinal movement with respect to the guard and removably mounted to the handle;
• and
• a wedge movably mounted to the blade carrier, the wedge being movable to a position toward the blade carrier to facilitate removal of a blade from the blade carrier.

A method for using a guarded surgical scalpel having a handle, a guard mounted to the handle for longitudinal and rotatable movement with respect to the handle, a blade carrier mounted to the guard for longitudinal movement with respect to the guard, the blade carrier also being removably mounted to the handle, comprising:

• retracting the guard along the handle;
• using the guarded surgical scalpel in a surgical procedure;
• extending the guard from the handle;
• disengaging the blade carrier from the handle;
• rotating the guard and the blade carrier with respect to the handle;
• and
• cleaning and sterilizing the guarded surgical scalpel.