Lahey Traction Forceps, 3×3 Teeth, 15 cm

What the Lahey traction forceps is

Lahey traction forceps take a firm hold of dense fibrous tissue and draw it clear so the surgeon can see what lies behind it. It is listed as Lahey goiter vulsellum forceps, as Lahey thyroid forceps and simply as a lahey clamp. The jaws carry 3×3 sharp teeth that interlock, and a ratchet sits at the finger rings.

Three teeth on each jaw passing between three on the other is a different kind of hold from a serrated clamp. The tissue is anchored at six points rather than pressed flat, which is what lets the instrument pull on a gland without the gland sliding out.

One thing is worth saying plainly, because catalogues confuse it constantly. There is a second, entirely different instrument called Lahey: a right angled forceps used to dissect and to pass a ligature around a duct. It shares the surname and nothing else. This page is about the toothed traction pattern.

Key design features of the Lahey traction forceps

Four features, and every one of them is about keeping tension on tissue that does not want to be held.

• 3×3 interlocking teeth. Sharp, and arranged so the two jaws mesh rather than meet face to face.
• Multi position ratchet. Traction is set at the handle and left there, which frees the hand that set it.
• Slender shanks. Less metal between the surgeon and the field, which matters at depth in the neck.
• Long handles. They keep the rings and the hand out of the sight line to the wound.
• Box joint. The halves pass through each other, so the teeth keep meshing after years of use.

Lahey traction forceps sizes and build options

The size chart is the variation list, so what is shown is what ships.

Imperial figures are given because most United States buyers order in inches. Longer patterns of 20 cm and curved versions of this jaw exist in the trade, and they are not in this listing. Ask us before you order if you need one.

Lahey traction forceps uses by specialty

The first two rows are what the pattern was drawn for. The rest are where surgeons took it afterwards, and they all share one thing: tissue that a smooth jaw lets go of.

What the jaws hold

This is a traction instrument and not a needle holder, so there is no suture gauge to quote. What matters is which structures six sharp teeth are for, and the last two rows matter more than the first four.

How the Lahey traction forceps compares with other patterns

The first row is the name clash, and it is the single most useful line on this page for anyone ordering from a list.

Lahey traction forceps materials and finish

The instrument is made from high quality medical grade stainless steel, hardened at the jaw so the six teeth keep their points. A tooth that has worn round stops anchoring and starts tearing, which on a gland under tension is the failure that matters. 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 carbide insert and no coating on this pattern. The hold comes from the tooth geometry and from the hardness of the steel behind it, and an insert at the tip would blunt the very thing that does the work.

Lahey traction forceps care and sterilization

Rinse under cold running water immediately after use and give the teeth particular attention, because tissue lodges where they mesh and dries there. Use a soft brush, never wire. 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 so the spring is not held under load. Check the points under a light when the set is packed, because this instrument fails at the teeth first.

Ordering Lahey traction forceps and wholesale

Adas Instruments supplies hospitals, clinics and distributors across the United States, from stock and to order. Wholesale quantities and instrument set builds are quoted on request. Backorder items dispatch in 10 to 12 working days. Item code 0.05, 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 are Lahey forceps used for?

The question has two answers because two instruments carry the name. This one, the traction pattern, grips dense fibrous tissue with 3×3 sharp interlocking teeth and pulls it clear, most often a thyroid gland during thyroidectomy. The other, a right angled forceps, is used to dissect and to pass a ligature. Check the jaw in the photograph before you order.

What are Lahey thyroid forceps used for?

Rolling and elevating the thyroid gland during thyroidectomy and goiter excision. The teeth anchor the gland so it can be drawn toward the midline, which is what exposes the vessels and the nerves running behind it. The ratchet holds that position without a hand on the instrument.

What is another name for Lahey traction forceps?

Lahey goiter vulsellum forceps is the full catalogue name. It is also listed as Lahey thyroid forceps, as a Lahey traction clamp and, in short order lists, simply as a lahey clamp.

What is the difference between Lahey traction forceps and Allis forceps?

The teeth. A Lahey carries three sharp teeth on each jaw that interlock, built to pull hard on dense tissue. An Allis carries rows of finer teeth across a fenestrated jaw, built to hold a broad tissue edge. Reach for the Lahey when you need traction and for the Allis when you need a grip.

Can Lahey traction forceps be used on delicate tissue?

No. Six sharp teeth will pass through thin tissue rather than hold it, and this instrument is never used on a vessel or a nerve. It is for tissue that is tough, for tissue that is being removed, or for a gland that has to be moved as a whole.

Related products and categories

Buyers who order the lahey traction forceps usually order alongside it the foerster sponge forceps, the pitanguy flap grasping forceps and the kocher clamp forceps. The whole family sits in hemostats and grasping forceps, and this pattern is also listed under breast surgery instruments.