Surgical Forceps
Originated from the Latin word “Forca” meaning a snare or trap,
forceps is used almost exclusively within the medical field, as an
instrument used for grasping, plucking, or lifting. Though outside the
medical field, people use forceps as tweezers, tongs, clips, pliers or
clamps, the importance of surgical forceps is known more in the medicine
world.
What are surgical forceps?
Forceps are the instruments with two blades/pincers and a handle used for
handling, grasping, or compressing. Mechanically, surgical forceps employ
the principle of the lever to grasp and apply pressure.
Materials
Surgical forceps are usually made of high-grade stainless steel. Carbon
steel, Titanium are used to make forceps. High carbon steel ensure that the
forceps can withstand repeated sterilization in high-temperature autoclaves.
Titanium surgical forceps are light in weight. They are corrosion resistant
and very strong. Lower quality steel is also used in making forceps but they
are not used much in medical applications. Some surgical forceps which are
intended to be used once and then discarded are made of plastic.
Importance of forceps
Forceps are used for variety of purposes such as follows:
- To grip tissue, blood vessels and walls of organs.
- To grasp suture needles without causing damage.
- Surgical forceps can manipulate delicate tissues with very less
trauma in the affected area.
- They have adequate traction, maintaining correct alignment of the
opposing tips over a range of closure pressures.
- They are resistant to damage when used to remove a suture needle.
- Forceps assist in the delivery of a baby etc.
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Types of forceps
There are two basic types of forceps:
- Non-locking forceps: Also known as 'thumb forceps' or
'pick-ups', these forceps come in two forms: hinged at one end, away
from the grasping end and hinged in the middle, rather like
scissors.
- Locking forceps: Such forceps are always hinged in the
middle. There are some other forms which place the hinge very close
to the grasping end. Locking forceps are used to lock the grasping
surfaces in a closed position to help in manipulation or to
independently grasp, clamp or hold an object.
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Accordingly, there are different varieties of forceps used for
different purposes in medicine, including
- The alligator forceps (an angled instrument with jaws at the
end).
- Tissue forceps (a form of tweezer).
- Hemostatic forceps (also simply called a hemostat, to clamp a
bleeding vessel).
- Mosquito forceps (a small hemostat) and Obstetrical forceps (to
aid in delivering a baby) etc.
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