Nasal Tenaculum Hook, 2 Sharp Prongs, 6, 7 and 9 mm

What the nasal tenaculum hook is

The nasal tenaculum hook is a handheld double hook used in rhinoplasty and ENT work to take hold of nasal soft tissue and hold it under traction. Two sharp prongs sit in a V at a fixed spread, and our own record carries three of them: 6 mm, 7 mm and 9 mm.

The name needs a word of explanation, because it points at the wrong instrument. In most of surgery a tenaculum is a ratcheted grasping forceps that locks shut on tissue. This is not one. It has no ratchet, no lock and no rings; it is a hook that an assistant holds, and the traction stops the moment the hand does.

We say that plainly rather than leaving a buyer to find out from the photograph.

Key design features of the nasal double hook

Four features, and the spread is the one that decides which you order.

• Two sharp prongs in a V. The nasal double hook takes tissue on two points at a fixed spread.
• Three spreads. 6 mm, 7 mm and 9 mm on our own record.
• No ratchet and no lock. Traction lasts exactly as long as the hand holds it.
• Flat handle. Keeps both points in one plane while tissue is under tension.

Nasal tenaculum hook sizes

Three prong spreads ship from this page, and all three figures are on our own product record.

No overall length is stated here, because our record does not carry one. Nor is the V described as a catalog designation: it is the shape of our own pattern, and no outside source is quoted for it. Ask and it will be measured.

Where a 2 prong nasal hook is used

A 2 prong nasal hook is a traction instrument, and the list below is where traction is what is wanted.

What the prongs take, and what they do not

A sharp traction hook has hard limits, and on a nose those limits matter more than usual.

How this pattern compares with the rest of the family

Four of the rows below are our own. This one is the traction instrument of the group; the others hold tissue aside rather than pull on it.

Materials and finish

Made from high quality medical grade stainless steel, satin finished so the operating light does not reflect off the shank into the surgeon eye. The steel itself is made to a German specification. The two points are ground and then checked against each other, because prongs of unequal length put the whole pull through one point, which is what tears tissue under traction.

Care and sterilization

Clean with a soft brush under running water, working between the prongs and the junction of prongs and shank where tissue collects, then rinse in deionized water and dry fully before autoclaving. Store in a rack or a tip guard so nothing rests on the points. The spread is the specification, so an instrument whose prongs have been sprung apart by a knock is no longer the size it was bought as: measure the spread before it goes back into the set.

Ordering and wholesale

Adas Instruments makes this pattern to order in all three prong spreads and supplies hospitals, surgical centers and distributors across the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Bulk and wholesale pricing is available, and instruments held on backorder ship in 10 to 12 working days. Every instrument carries a three year replacement warranty against manufacturing defects. Certifications: CE. Production is controlled under an ISO 13485 quality management system.

Frequently asked questions

What is a tenaculum used for?

Taking hold of tissue and holding it under traction while something is done to it. In most of surgery the word means a ratcheted grasping forceps that locks shut. In a nasal set it is also used, as here, for a handheld double hook that does the same job without a lock.

Is this a grasping forceps?

No. There are no rings, no ratchet and no lock on it. It is a hook held by hand, and the traction lasts as long as the hand does. If you need an instrument that holds on its own, a ratcheted grasping forceps is the right thing and this is not it.

Which prong spread should I order?

9 mm where more tissue has to come under tension at once, 6 mm for the smallest bite, 7 mm as the general choice. All three figures are from our own product record rather than from a catalog somewhere else.

What is the difference between this and a skin hook?

Intent more than shape. A skin hook holds a skin edge aside so you can see past it. This is used to pull tissue into a position and keep it there. The instruments look similar and the difference is what the hand is doing with them.

Can it be used on mucosa?

Not for traction. Sharp points under pull go through mucosa rather than holding it. Mucosa takes a blunt ball ended pattern, which presses against the tissue and slides off before it tears it.

Related products and categories

Buyers who order the nasal tenaculum hook usually order alongside it the aufricht walter nasal retractor, the cottle nasal retractor hook and the cottle retractor with sharp prongs. The whole family sits in hooks and retractors, and this pattern is also listed under rhinoplasty instruments.