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Just because the bags are sealed doesn't mean the tools have never been used. They are cleaned, sealed in bags, and put in an autoclave to be sterilized.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoclave

They are not "new" - they are simply cleaned and resealed in packaging.

It would be crazy expensive to only use these instruments once.

They'd move to disposable items which would be much cheaper.

But, even then, people want to reuse items. (http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/crdweb/ShowRecord.asp?LinkFrom=OAI...)

Luckily there seems to be lots of research around reusable instruments.

(https://www.evidence.nhs.uk/search?q=disposable%20instrument...)

Many of the tools are actually reused again and again. However, between uses they are sterilized using an autoclave and then immediately put into sealed bags to maintain sterility.

Not quite, you have to sterilize the things in the bag.

Yep. The bags usually have an indicator to show that they've been properly autoclaved (e.g. have reached the required temperature and pressure for enough time).