Bone forceps are a type of pliers used in medicine to grab or remove pieces of bone or hold bone in place. They come in different designs, sizes, and shapes, and are made of high-quality carbon steel. They were invented in the 1500s and have been used for both medical and non-medical tasks.
The term “pliers” is used almost exclusively in the field of medicine, it refers to hand-held, hinged instruments that are used to grasp and hold objects. The forceps work in a similar way to non-medical tools such as tweezers, pincers, and forceps. There are two types of pliers: non-locking and locking, and both types have many variations that have been modified for specific uses. Bone forceps are one such specialized type of this tool. They are used to grab or remove pieces of bone or to hold bone in place while it is being cut or another procedure is being performed.
Bone forceps come in several different designs, each made to tackle a specific task. They are typically made of high-quality carbon steel, like most other types of tongs, so they can withstand repeated sterilization inside an autoclave. Bone tongs hinge at one point — usually, but not always, in the middle — and one end will have either flat gripping surfaces or sharp cutting surfaces, depending on their use. Bone cutting pliers have sharp cutting faces and powerful hinges often closer to the cutting edge than the center. This is to create maximum leverage to cut bone with a minimum of difficulty.
Other bone clamps hinge towards the center and the gripping end will usually be flat, although there are several variations. Bone forceps vary in size and shape, with tools ranging from approximately 4.7-13 inches (12-33 cm) in length. The size is only relevant to the use of the tool; the longer versions are used to reach further into the body. There are also variations on the head design, with some bone forceps having an angled head that allows them to be used to reach difficult areas. Some of the smaller bone forceps have pointed ends, not unlike tweezers, and are used to retrieve smaller bone fragments.
Modern tongs were invented in the 1500s, but similar tools were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The design of bone forceps makes them a particularly powerful tool. Many med kits dating back to the US Civil War era have been found with this particular tool missing. This is because they have proved so useful for non-medical tasks that they have often been stolen from medical kits.
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