(for′sĕps)

(for′seps″)
pl. forceps [L. forceps, pincers, tongs]
A two-bladed hinged or spring-loaded instrument for holding and manipulating tissues.

alligator forceps

A straight or angled forceps with jawlike movement at its end.

Allis forceps

SEE: Allis, Oscar Huntington

artery forceps

An atraumatic forceps with teeth that will not injure the vessel; used for temporary occlusion of a vessel.

axis-traction forceps

An obstetrical forceps fitted with a handle that makes it possible to provide traction in line with the direction in which the head must be moved.

bone forceps

A heavy-duty forceps for cutting bone and removing bone fragments.

brain forceps

SEE: Obstetrical forceps.

capsule forceps

A forceps for making an opening in the anterior capsule of the lens during cataract surgery.

Chamberlen forceps

SEE: Chamberlen forceps

clamp forceps

Any forceps with an automatic lock.

dental forceps

Any of several forceps of varying shapes for grasping teeth during extraction procedures.

dressing forceps

A smooth forceps for dressing wounds or inserting drainage tubes.

Graefe forceps

SEE: Graefe, Albrecht von

grasping forceps

A forceps with a strong beaked end, used for seizing body tissues, foreign bodies, or removing objects such as stones from organs.

Halsted forceps

SEE: Halsted, William Stewart

intestinal forceps

A forceps used in abdominal surgeries to temporarily block the large or small bowel without crushing them.

Knapp forceps

SEE: Knapp forceps

Magill forceps

SEE: Magill forceps

Mixter forceps

A forceps whose tips bent at a right angle relative to the shaft, used to reach around and ligate blood vessels.

mosquito forceps

A smaller variety of a Halsted forceps, having a curved or straight, fine-pointed tip.

needle forceps

A forceps for grasping and holding a needle.

obstetrical forceps

A forceps for extracting the fetal head from the pelvis during delivery. In obstetrics, forceps application is classified according to the position of the fetal head when the forceps are applied, i.e., outlet forceps, low forceps, and mid forceps. The forceps allows withdrawal force to be applied to the fetal head and protects the head during the passage.
SYN: SEE: brain forceps
SEE: station

Piper forceps

SEE: Piper forceps

rongeur forceps

A forceps for cutting bone.

Russian forceps

A forceps with serrated, spoon-shaped tips.

splinter forceps

A fine-tipped forceps, used in first aid, to remove tiny foreign bodies from tissues, and in other applications, e.g., to handle sutures.

sponge forceps

sponge-holding forceps A blunt-tipped forceps used to grasp tissues, esp. in gynecological procedures, without damaging tissue. They are often used to hold the uterine cervix, for example.

thumb forceps

A forceps used to hold tissues, esp. while suturing them.

tissue forceps

A pincer-like toothed forceps for grasping delicate tissues.

towel forceps

A sharply pointed, nonpiercing forceps for holding a surgical drape on the body without damaging the tissue that it grasps.

tubing forceps

A forceps with a hollow beak, used to place catheters or other instruments inside cylindrical body structures.