Babcock’s Forceps

May 09, 2021

  

Babcock's forceps refers to a surgical instrument that has been put into use since the early 20th century. It was invented by William Wayne Babcock, a Doctor of Medicine, who served as a captain in the Army Medical Corps during the first World War. Even though Babcock discovered various surgical techniques pertaining to varicose veins, cranioplasty, paralysis, osteogenic sarcoma, osteomyelitis, inguinal hernia, etc., he is best known for the creation of Babcock forceps. These forceps are routinely used in surgeries even today.

During surgical procedures, the operative field can be blood-filled and the complex internal structures of the body can compromise the access to certain organs. In such cases, Babcock's forceps can be used to hold certain tissues (soft structures) and gently displace them momentarily for the course of the operation. These tissue holding forceps are designed such that no injury is exerted by the forceps while holding the structures. The forceps have two curved blades. When these blades close, a triangular orifice is formed. On one concavity of the blade are vertical ridges, whereas on the concavity of the other blade is a horizontal groove. Such an arrangement helps in careful handling of the soft tissues without causing them any trauma. Moreover, these forceps do not have any sharp teeth and a ratchet mechanism helps in better grasping of the tissues.

The tissues held by Babcock's forceps are usually tubular in shape. These tube-shaped organs have a cavity within which certain pressure needs to be maintained. Babcock's forceps ensure that this pressure is reduced while being held with the forceps. Since this pressure is maintained, it prevents the organs from getting damaged. Babcock's forceps come in various sizes. They are available for both pediatric and adult patients. The sizes available are 6 ¼ inches(159mm), 9 ½ inches(241mm), 12 inches(305mm), 16 inches(405mm) and 18 inches(458mm).

Here are the various uses of the Babcock's forceps:

• During appendix removal, it is used to hold the appendix or the caecum (part of the intestine).
• During laporotomy (abdominal surgery), it is used to hold the small intestine.
• It is used to hold the surrounding organs when two blood vessels need to be ligated (joined).
• It is used to hold the fallopian tube during its removal (salpingectomy) in cases of abnormal pregnancy or cancer.
• It is used to hold the uterus during its removal (hysterectomy).
• It is used to hold the blood vessels and cease the bleeding during prostate removal.
• During surgical procedures of the urinary bladder, a Babcock's forceps can help in retracting the organ in order to make a  passage for other instruments to reach the area of concern.
• It is used for controlling bleeding by holding the blood vessels associated with an adjacent lipoma (fatty lump involving deeper layers of skin with cancerous potential).
• Babcock's forceps can also be used in holding then lymph nodes while taking biopsy. A lymph node biopsy can help in diagnosing a long-standing infection or tumours that my or may not be cancerous.

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