PISTOL-GRIP NEEDLE FORCEPS FOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY.

Abstract

The placing of sutures in the deeper regions of the abdominal cavity has always been a matter of especial difficulty in abdominal surgery. Owing to the prevailing straight construction of needle forceps, the operator's hand not only must be held at an uncomfortable angle, but also greatly obscures his vision. For surgical work in the nasal, aural and vaginal cavities, great advantage and perfect visual control is derived from the use of curved or angular instruments. Having this in mind, I have had constructed a pistolgrip needle forceps whose jaws are at an angle of thirty degrees to the handles, which permits a full unobstructed view of the operative field and gives perfect control of the needle even in the deeper and less accessible regions of the abdomen. In order to provide the power necessary to hold the needle securely, two levers are used, one acting on the other, thus greatly increasing the grasping force of the jaws.