As a surgeon, you know that having the right instruments in your tool kit is critical for a smooth, successful procedure. Hemostats are essential tools, clamping blood vessels to control blood loss and ensure a clearer operating site. Below, we compare and contrast Kelly clamps and hemostats to help you choose the right tools for your surgical requirements.
What Is a Hemostat?
A hemostat is a surgical tool used to maintain temporary homeostasis, designed for clamping blood vessels and ligating bleeding vessels. A hemostat has a clamp with a ratchet locking mechanism, which stabilizes blood vessels during surgeries. The straight jaw locks in place, ensuring a secure grip on the tissue and precise manipulation. Additionally, the finger ring handles provide a secure grip for the surgeon.
Hemostats come in various designs and sizes to accommodate different surgical needs. Some have delicate tips to assist with more precise operations, while other hemostats contain wider jaws to secure bigger vessels.
Clamping vessels to hold them in place and minimize blood flow.
Holding and stabilizing skin and tissues, offering more visibility into the surgical site.
Exposing and providing a clearer view of deeper wounds.
These uses make hemostats invaluable in surgical tool kits, and with several types available, surgeons can easily choose the appropriate one for the procedure.
Types of Hemostats
Some common types of hemostats include:
Hartmann Alligator forceps: This tool is often used to remove foreign objects from the ear canal and other hard-to-reach areas. Its alligator-like jaw design is ideal for ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgical applications.
Adson forceps: These surgical tweezers are used to grasp, hold and move tissue. Adson clamps are used in tonsil surgeries and other standard medical procedures. They also help hold dressing materials, such as gauze and cotton, during surgeries. They’re available in both curved and straight jaws, and their wide thumb grasp allows for optimal control and precision.
Crile forceps: During general surgeries, Crile hemostatic forceps are typically used to temporarily stop blood flow in larger blood vessels. They are available in different lengths and straight or curved jaws.
Lovelace forceps: Lovelace forceps are commonly used for thoracotomy procedures and lung surgeries. Surgeons use them to clamp or isolate lesions in the lungs to remove cancerous regions. Their triangular jaws help distribute force and prevent tissue damage.
Benefits of Hemostats for Surgery
Hemostats are beneficial tools during surgical procedures due to their:
Versatility: Hemostats come in multiple shapes, sizes and styles to suit different areas of the body and surgical needs.
Precision: Hemostats’ design allows for precise clamping of blood vessels. This is especially critical during delicate or time-sensitive operations.
Ease of use: While proper technique is paramount, hemostats are generally straightforward to use due to their streamlined locking mechanism. This ease of use can facilitate quick action during emergency surgeries.
What Is a Kelly Clamp?
A Kelly clamp is a type of hemostatic surgical instrument that securely grips the blood vessels during procedures. It resembles a pair of scissors, with the exception of a blunted grip rather than blades.
Essentially, a Kelly clamp is a specific design of hemostat. While other types of hemostats have straight jaws, Kelly clamps often have curved, serrated jaws. This feature helps surgeons perform hemostasis without the risk of slippage. However, some types of Kelly clamps have straight jaws.
Like other types of hemostats, Kelly clamps have finger ring handles for improved grip and stability, and a locking mechanism keeps them in place. They also come in several types and sizes, making it easy to select the right one for your surgical procedure.
What Is a Kelly Hemostat Used for?
Like other hemostats, Kelly clamps are valuable tools for different procedures, such as orthopedics, abdominal surgeries and gynecological operations. They serve various purposes in surgical settings, including:
Occluding blood vessels or tissues to prevent excessive bleeding.
Grasping and stabilizing tissue so surgeons can work more precisely.
Providing suturing assistance and stabilizing tissue to make placing stitches easier.
Types of Kelly Clamps
Some specific types of Kelly clamps are:
Kelly hemostatic forceps: These forceps are used to clamp soft tissues and delicate blood vessels, and they’re particularly helpful for manipulating fatty tissues. Their serrated jaws provide a secure grip over the blood vessels without damaging the surrounding tissues.
Rankin-Kelly clamps: Rankin-Kelly clamps are used to clamp and manipulate large, fatty tissues during surgical procedures. Their curved, serrated jaws provide a firm grip over these tissues, and their long, slender shanks make it easier to reach deep wounds and surgical sites.
Benefits of Kelly Clamps for Surgery
Some noteworthy advantages of Kelly hemostat clamps include:
Reduced risk of damage: Kelly hemostats can apply even, consistent pressure to the tissue, minimizing the risk of damage.
Maneuverability: The curved design makes it easier to reach more complex areas, allowing for optimal precision and control.
User-friendly design: The ratchet mechanism enables seamless locking and unlocking, allowing for quick application and release. Again, this is essential for fast-paced, time-sensitive and emergency procedures.
Which Type Should I Choose?
When selecting the right hemostat for your surgical needs, you’ll need to consider a few factors:
Curvature: Hemostats have numerous tip styles, including straight, angled and curved. The ideal design depends on the anatomy of the specific area and the procedure you’re performing. While straight hemostats tend to be versatile enough for most surgical applications, curved jaws are better for accessing hard-to-reach areas.
Lock: Locking hemostats, such as Kelly clamps, have specialized mechanisms to clamp and stabilize the jaws. In contrast, you’ll need to apply manual pressure on nonlocking hemostats, such as the Crile, to open and close the jaws. While locking hemostats are ideal for securing and ligating, nonlocking models are more suitable for simple grasping.
Size: Hemostats come in multiple sizes to accommodate both larger vessels and smaller surgical sites. Hemostats with narrow, pointed tips are best for delicate work and microsurgery applications. Larger hemostats, such as the Crile and Kelly, have broader jaws for clamping wider blood vessels and grasping fatty tissue. You can also find medium-sized hemostats, which suit most procedures.
Tip: Hemostats come in various tip configurations. Toothed or serrated tips can grip tissue more securely, while blunt tips are safer when working with more delicate tissue.
Procedure or specialty: Your specialty can also influence the medical hemostats in your surgical tool set. For instance, general surgeons often have both straight and curved, as well as locking and nonlocking, hemostats in a variety of sizes and tip styles. Meanwhile, microsurgeons usually need smaller, more delicate hemostats.
The type of surgery, body location and size of the blood vessels you’re working with can all help you determine the right hemostat. Understanding the right tool for your specific operation will result in a safer, more efficient procedure for your patient.
Find Superior-Quality Hemostats at gSource
gSource is your go-to provider for dependable, globally sourced medical instruments, including hemostats. Our extensive catalog contains thousands of readily available surgical tools, and we offer private labeling and customization to accommodate specific requirements if needed.
With our efficient customer support and broad network of accredited and certified suppliers, surgeons in various specialties choose us for durable, reliable solutions. Browse our selection of hemostats and Kelly clamps and place your order today!
