Backhaus Towel Clamp, Perforating, 9 cm to 15 cm

What the Backhaus towel clamp is

A backhaus towel clamp is a ratcheted, scissor shaped clamp with two curved points that hold sterile drapes and towels to the edge of the operating field. It is listed just as often as a towel clip, and catalogues also carry it as a perforating towel clamp and as a surgical drape clamp. The points face inward and cross each other as the handles close.

That crossing is the whole instrument. Because the two points pass through the drape and lock against one another, the hold does not rely on gripping the cloth between two flat faces. A friction clip slides when the drape is pulled; this one does not.

Key design features of the Backhaus towel clamp

Five things make this pattern what it is, and the first two are the reason it is still in every set.

• Curved perforating points. Sharp, inward facing, and shaped to pass through the material rather than pinch it.
• Interlocking tips. The two points cross at the end of the stroke, so the hold is mechanical and not frictional.
• Multi position ratchet. The hold can be set light or firm and left there, then released one handed.
• Finger ring handles. Worked like scissors, placed and removed without looking away from the field.
• Box joint. The halves pass through each other, which keeps the two points meeting exactly after years of use.

Backhaus towel clamp sizes and build options

The size chart is the variation list, so what is shown is what ships. Choose the length on the Select Size field.

Imperial figures are given because most United States buyers order in inches. The 9 cm and 11.5 cm clamps suit head, hand and foot draping where a long handle gets in the way; 13 cm and 15 cm suit body drapes and heavier material.

Backhaus towel clamp uses by specialty

The first five rows are draping. The sixth is the job nobody writes down and everybody does.

What the points take

This is a fixation instrument and not a tissue instrument, so there is no suture gauge and no tissue list to quote. What matters is what the points go through, and the honest list ends with the row most catalogues leave out.

How the Backhaus towel clamp compares with other patterns

The only comparison that changes a purchase is perforating against non perforating, so that row comes first.

Backhaus towel clamp materials and finish

The clamp is made from high quality medical grade stainless steel, hardened at the points so they stay sharp enough to pass through a drape rather than drag it. A point that has gone blunt tears the material instead of piercing it, and that is the first sign a clamp needs replacing. The finish is satin rather than mirror, which cuts glare under operating lights. The steel itself is made to a German specification. The finished instrument carries the CE mark.

There is no coating and no insert on this pattern. The hold comes from the geometry of the two crossing points and from the hardness of the steel behind them.

Backhaus towel clamp care and sterilization

Treat it as a sharp at the end of the case and count it as one. Rinse under cold running water straight away, and check the points under a light for burrs, because a burred point snags the drape it is meant to pass through. Open the jaws fully for ultrasonic cleaning and for autoclaving so the box joint drains and steam reaches the ratchet. Dry completely, then store with the ratchet released.

Ordering Backhaus towel clamps and wholesale

Adas Instruments supplies hospitals, clinics and distributors across the United States, from stock and to order. Towel clamps are usually ordered in fours or in sixes, because that is how a drape is anchored, and wholesale quantities are quoted on request. Backorder items dispatch in 10 to 12 working days. Item code AE-156.08, and every instrument carries a three year replacement warranty against manufacturing defects. Production is controlled under an ISO 13485 quality management system.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Backhaus towel clamp used for?

Holding sterile drapes and towels to the edge of the operating field so the field keeps its shape through the case. The two sharp points pass through the material and cross, which is why the hold does not slip when the drape is pulled. The same clamp is routinely used to gather suction tubing and cautery cords out of the way.

What is a towel clamp used for?

The same job, described more loosely. Towel clamp is the family name for any ratcheted or sprung clamp used to fix draping, and the Backhaus is the perforating pattern within it. In the United States the same instrument is usually called a towel clip.

What are the different types of towel clamps?

Two, and the difference is the tip. Perforating clamps such as the Backhaus have sharp points that pass through the drape. Non perforating clamps have blunt tips that grip by pressure and leave no hole. Within the perforating group the choice is length and whether the clamp ratchets or works on a cross action spring.

What are Backhaus towel clamps used for in veterinary surgery?

Draping, exactly as in human surgery, and one job more. Veterinary teams also use them as a reduction tool, taking hold of a small bone fragment or a length of tissue during a procedure. The ratchet is what makes that possible, because the hold stays set without a hand on the instrument.

What size Backhaus towel clamp should I order?

Match the length to the drape. The 9 cm and 11.5 cm clamps are for head, hand and foot work where a long handle is in the way. The 13 cm and 15 cm clamps are for body drapes and heavier material. Most sets carry four of one length rather than one of each.

Related products and categories

Buyers who order the backhaus towel clamp usually order alongside it the foerster sponge forceps, the brand tendon grasping forceps and the kocher delicate artery forceps. The whole family sits in hemostats and grasping forceps, and this pattern is also listed under facelift and neck lift instruments.