Rongeurs are surgical tools used to cut bone and hard tissue. They are also used by dentists and cooks. Forceps are a type of rongeur with sharp, curved tips used to dig into bone. They must be sterilized to avoid cross-contamination. Some rongeurs may need to be disposed of after use due to the risk of prion disease transmission.
Rongeurs are surgical tools designed to chip, break, or cut bone and hard tissue such as cartilage. The term comes from a French word meaning “rodent,” a reference to the fact that rongeurs are designed to gnaw through tissue and bone, under the supervision of a surgeon. In addition to being used in surgery, rongeurs are also employed by dentists and can be used in other contexts as well; for example, cooks sometimes work with rongeurs-like tools when butchering meat.
The shape of a forceps can vary. These tools tend to have sharp, curved tips that can be used to dig into bone. Many are designed like forceps, allowing a surgeon to grasp the tissue of interest and carefully tear it away. Others are solid tools that can be used to chip bone or hard tissue to gain access to a surgical site or to remove excess material. Some are spring loaded to create more force for gripping and pulling.
Dentists can use these instruments to remove dental tartar and break it from the teeth if necessary. Wherever forceps are used, they should be carefully controlled to avoid removing more tissue or bone than intended. These tools are very strong and sturdy, and it’s easy to use them with more force than you want to. Users tend to err on the side of caution, working on removing small chips instead of large pieces.
People may refer to rongeurs as rongeur tongs when they are designed in a tong style. Other terms may be used to refer to specialized types of rongeurs. Surgeons like to have specific terms to use for the instruments they need so that when they ask a surgical assistant for an instrument, they can be confident that the assistant will know exactly which instrument to get.
Like other tools used in surgery, forceps are designed to be sterilized. Sterilization is important to minimize the risk of cross-contamination between patients. These tools can also be sharpened, allowing a surgeon to send tools for sharpening so they continue to be efficient and effective. Because forceps can sometimes contact bone marrow, there may be environments where tools need to be disposed of after use. Bone marrow can harbor prions, rogue proteins that can cause disease and resist known sterilization techniques. Patients with prion disease or at risk for such diseases can transmit these diseases via surgical and dental instruments.
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