Finding a reliable surgical forceps names and pictures pdf can be challenging because most comprehensive guides are either outdated, locked behind paywalls, or spread across multiple sources. Let me help you understand what's available and how to build your own reference guide.
Forceps are one of the most frequently used tools in any operating room. They come in hundreds of variations. Each type has a specific name and a specific job.
The challenge is that there is no single standard naming system across manufacturers. What one brand calls a "Kelly clamp" might be listed differently by another brand. This makes learning instrument names confusing for new surgical techs and medical students .
The best way to learn is to see the instrument, hold it, and match it to its name.
You can find historical surgical instrument catalogues online for free. These are excellent resources for surgical forceps names and pictures.
Illustrated Catalogue of Surgical Instruments and Appliances (1874)
This is a public domain book from Caswell, Hazard & Co. It contains detailed illustrations of surgical instruments from the 19th century, including various forceps designs .
You can download the PDF for free from:
Internet Archive (search: "illustratedcatal00casw")
Wikisource or Wikimedia Commons
Medical Heritage Library Collections
The Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard has digitized many historical surgical instrument catalogues. These include high-quality scans with line drawings showing forceps shapes and designs .
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Collections
The NIH maintains digital collections of historical medical texts. Some include plates showing forceps and other surgical instruments with labeled figures .
University of Iowa EyeRounds Tutorial
The University of Iowa has an excellent online tutorial showing surgical instruments used in oculoplastic surgery. It includes photos, descriptions, and typical uses for each instrument. Examples include Adson tissue forceps with 1x2 teeth and Brown-Adson forceps with their wide, serrated platforms .
Veterinary Surgical Instrument ID Kit
WPI Europe sells a Veterinary Assisting ID Kit that includes 28 common surgical instruments with flashcards. The kit contains many forceps types, including:
Allis Tissue Forceps
Russian Thumb Forceps
Brown-Adson Thumb Forceps
Rochester-Carmalt Hemostatic Forceps
Adson Thumb Tissue Forceps
Rat Tooth Thumb Forceps
DeBakey Vascular Thumb Forceps
The flashcards are designed for learning identification .
WHO MEDEVIS Database
The World Health Organization maintains the MEDEVIS database of medical devices. You can search for specific forceps types by name. The database lists standardized names for hundreds of forceps, including DeBakey, Kelly, Rochester-Pean, Kocher, Allis, Babcock, and many more .
Here is a comprehensive list of forceps names you can use to search for images and build your PDF reference.
| Forceps Name | Primary Use |
|---|---|
| Adson Tissue Forceps | Grasping skin, heavy tissue |
| Brown-Adson Forceps | Subcutaneous tissue manipulation |
| DeBakey Forceps | Vascular surgery, delicate tissue |
| Russian Forceps | Heavy tissue (uterus, gallbladder) |
| Rat Tooth Forceps | Skin and tough tissue |
| Plain/Smooth Forceps | Delicate tissue (bowel, bladder) |
| Gerald Forceps | Vascular surgery, fine work |
| Castroviejo Forceps | Ophthalmic suturing, fine tissue |
| Paufique Suturing Forceps | Eyelid and periocular tissue |
| Forceps Name | Length | Serrations | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halsted Mosquito | 3.5-5 inches | Full length | Small vessels |
| Crile | 5-7 inches | Full length | Medium vessels |
| Kelly | 5-7 inches | Partial (tips) | Medium to large vessels |
| Rochester-Pean | 7-10 inches | Full length, heavy | Large vessels, deep surgery |
| Rochester-Carmalt | Large | Longitudinal grooves | Pedicles, crushing |
| Kocher (Ochsner) | 6-8 inches | Teeth at tips | Tough tissue, crushing |
| Forceps Name | Primary Use |
|---|---|
| Babcock | Bowel, fallopian tubes, delicate structures |
| Allis | Fascia, breast tissue (traumatic - use on tissue to be removed) |
| Pennington (Duval) | Gallbladder fundus |
| Mixter (Right Angle) | Dissection around vessels in tight spaces |
| Forceps Name | Specialty Area |
|---|---|
| Foerster Sponge Forceps | Holding gauze sponges |
| Tenaculum (Pozzi) | Grasping cervix or uterus |
| Backhaus Towel Clamps | Holding drapes in place |
| Alligator Forceps | Foreign body removal |
| Magill Forceps | Anesthesia, nasal intubation |
| Forceps Name | Primary Use |
|---|---|
| Maryland Forceps | Fine dissection |
| Atraumatic Graspers | Bowel and delicate structures |
| Fenestrated Graspers | Omentum and larger tissue |
| Bipolar Forceps | Grasping and cauterizing |
If you are interested in the evolution of surgical instruments, several historical forceps are well-documented:
Chamberlen Forceps - The original obstetric forceps, kept secret by the Chamberlen family for generations
Smellie Forceps - Straight and curved versions developed in the 18th century
Levret Forceps - French design with pelvic curvature
Simpson Forceps - Evolution of Smellie's original instrument
Denman Forceps - Straight forceps design from the 1790s
Lowder Forceps - Short forceps design from the 1790s