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INSTRUMENT GUIDE · NO. 02

Kocher, Kelly, Crile, Halsted & Leriche

How to identify and distinguish the main haemostatic forceps

Learning to read a surgical instrument.

  • Identification
  • History
  • Design
  • Variants
MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes, reference 35301P
Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes · REF 35301P
MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Halstead 120 mm C. sans Griffes, reference 34906P
Pince Hémostatique Halstead 120 mm C. sans Griffes · REF 34906P

Kocher, Kelly, Crile, Halsted and Leriche all belong to the broad family of haemostatic forceps. To an untrained eye their silhouettes can look alike: finger rings, ratchet, box lock and jaws suggest one and the same architecture. Yet a few details are often enough to tell them apart.

Teeth, jaw fineness, the extent of the serrations, overall proportions and dimensions are all clues.

Learning to recognise these differences means starting to read the instrument rather than simply memorising its name.

Instrument plate

Five names, five instrumental signatures

Full silhouette of a MEDLANE KOCHER forceps: Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes, reference 35301P
01KOCHER

Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes · REF 35301P

Full silhouette of a MEDLANE KELLY forceps: Pince Hémostatique Kelly 140 mm C. sans Griffes, reference 35101P
02KELLY

Pince Hémostatique Kelly 140 mm C. sans Griffes · REF 35101P

Full silhouette of a MEDLANE CRILE forceps: Pince Hémostatique Crile 160 mm C. sans Griffes, reference 34502P
03CRILE

Pince Hémostatique Crile 160 mm C. sans Griffes · REF 34502P

Full silhouette of a MEDLANE HALSTED forceps: Pince Hémostatique Halstead 120 mm C. sans Griffes, reference 34906P
04HALSTED

Pince Hémostatique Halstead 120 mm C. sans Griffes · REF 34906P

Full silhouette of a MEDLANE LERICHE forceps: Pince Hémostatique Leriche 150 mm C. avec Griffes, reference 35511P
05LERICHE

Pince Hémostatique Leriche 150 mm C. avec Griffes · REF 35511P

01

KOCHER

  • Robust silhouette
  • Serrated jaws, terminal teeth on toothed configurations
  • In its conventional configuration, terminal teeth are the distinguishing sign
  • MEDLANE variants: straight or curved, with or without teeth, several lengths
02

KELLY

  • Intermediate silhouette
  • In its conventional configuration, transverse serrations on the distal part of the jaws
  • Relatively fine jaws
  • MEDLANE variants: straight or curved, with or without teeth, several lengths
03

CRILE

  • Silhouette close to the Kelly
  • In its conventional configuration, serrations along the whole working length of the jaws
  • Relatively fine jaws
  • MEDLANE variants: straight or curved, several lengths
04

HALSTED

  • In its conventional configuration, a generally smaller and finer silhouette
  • Name conventionally associated with a delicate haemostatic forceps
  • No universal dimensional threshold: refer to the exact designation
  • MEDLANE variants: straight or curved, with or without teeth, micro versions
05

LERICHE

  • In the MEDLANE catalogue: straight and curved versions
  • Configurations with and without teeth
  • Several referenced lengths
  • Declined variants, including Upline versions

Variants exist depending on the model: final identification is made from the exact reference and documentation.

Analysis plate

Look at the jaws

Full instrument → observed zone → identifying detail

01Kocher
Full silhouette of a MEDLANE Kocher forceps, reference 35301P
REF 35301P
Jaw detail of a MEDLANE Kocher forceps, reference 35301P
  • 01 — TIPS · TOOTHED CONFIGURATION
  • 02 — TRANSVERSE SERRATIONS
02Kelly
Full silhouette of a MEDLANE Kelly forceps, reference 35101P
REF 35101P
Jaw detail of a MEDLANE Kelly forceps, reference 35101P
  • 01 — TIPS WITHOUT TEETH
  • 02 — OBSERVED SERRATED AREA
03Crile
Full silhouette of a MEDLANE Crile forceps, reference 34502P
REF 34502P
Jaw detail of a MEDLANE Crile forceps, reference 34502P
  • 01 — TIPS WITHOUT TEETH
  • 02 — EXTENDED SERRATIONS
04Halsted
Full silhouette of a MEDLANE Halsted forceps, reference 34906P
REF 34906P
Jaw detail of a MEDLANE Halsted forceps, reference 34906P
  • 01 — FINE JAWS
  • 02 — CLOSE-SET SERRATIONS
05Leriche
Full silhouette of a MEDLANE Leriche forceps, reference 35511P
REF 35511P
Jaw detail of a MEDLANE Leriche forceps, reference 35511P
  • 01 — TIPS · TOOTHED CONFIGURATION
  • 02 — TRANSVERSE SERRATIONS

From a distance, the silhouettes look alike. From a few centimetres away, their identity appears.

Eponyms

Behind the names

1852 — 1922

William Stewart Halsted

American surgeon and a major figure of modern surgery. His name is associated with the Halsted haemostatic forceps.

1879 — 1955

René Leriche

French surgeon, a recognised pioneer of vascular surgery.

Kocher · Kelly · Crile

Like the previous ones, these three names are eponyms: they designate instruments whose designation has remained attached to a surgeon. MEDLANE publishes no detailed biographical attribution here that is not reliably established.

The history of surgery is still present in the names of the instruments used every day.

Guided reading

Anatomy of a haemostatic forceps

Anatomy of a MEDLANE haemostatic forceps: Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes, reference 35301P
Tips
Jaws
Serrations
Box lock
Shanks
Ratchet
Finger rings
KocherPince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes · REF 35301P
Comparison

Five readings, five identities

01

KOCHER

  • Robust silhouette
  • Serrated jaws, terminal teeth on toothed configurations
  • In its conventional configuration, terminal teeth are the distinguishing sign
  • MEDLANE variants: straight or curved, with or without teeth, several lengths
02

KELLY

  • Intermediate silhouette
  • In its conventional configuration, transverse serrations on the distal part of the jaws
  • Relatively fine jaws
  • MEDLANE variants: straight or curved, with or without teeth, several lengths
03

CRILE

  • Silhouette close to the Kelly
  • In its conventional configuration, serrations along the whole working length of the jaws
  • Relatively fine jaws
  • MEDLANE variants: straight or curved, several lengths
04

HALSTED

  • In its conventional configuration, a generally smaller and finer silhouette
  • Name conventionally associated with a delicate haemostatic forceps
  • No universal dimensional threshold: refer to the exact designation
  • MEDLANE variants: straight or curved, with or without teeth, micro versions
05

LERICHE

  • In the MEDLANE catalogue: straight and curved versions
  • Configurations with and without teeth
  • Several referenced lengths
  • Declined variants, including Upline versions

The name designates a family of instruments; the reference specifies the configuration.

Catalogue gallery

One family, several variants

MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm D. avec Griffes, reference 35401P

Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm D. avec Griffes

REF · 35401P· 140 mm· Straight· With teeth

MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes, reference 35301P

Pince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes

REF · 35301P· 140 mm· Curved· With teeth

MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Kelly 140 mm D. sans Griffes, reference 35102F

Pince Hémostatique Kelly 140 mm D. sans Griffes

REF · 35102F· 140 mm· Straight· Without teeth

MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Kelly 140 mm C. avec Griffes, reference 35109

Pince Hémostatique Kelly 140 mm C. avec Griffes

REF · 35109· 140 mm· Curved· With teeth

MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Kelly Rankin 160 mm C. sans Griffes, reference 35203P

Pince Hémostatique Kelly Rankin 160 mm C. sans Griffes

REF · 35203P· 160 mm· Curved· Without teeth

MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Leriche Debakey 160 mm Courbe Atrauma, reference 35515

Pince Hémostatique Leriche Debakey 160 mm Courbe Atrauma

REF · 35515· 160 mm· Curved

MEDLANE product photo: Pince Hémostatique Leriche Suedoise 140 mm C. avec Griffes Upline, reference 35705P

Pince Hémostatique Leriche Suedoise 140 mm C. avec Griffes Upline

REF · 35705P· 140 mm· Curved· With teeth

The name designates a family of instruments; the reference specifies the configuration.

Observation exercise

Can you recognise them?

Among these five MEDLANE forceps, identify the family of each from the visual details.

MEDLANE haemostatic forceps to identify, option A
ATo identify
MEDLANE haemostatic forceps to identify, option B
BTo identify
MEDLANE haemostatic forceps to identify, option C
CTo identify
MEDLANE haemostatic forceps to identify, option D
DTo identify
MEDLANE haemostatic forceps to identify, option E
ETo identify
REVEAL THE ANSWER
  • A — KocherPince Hémostatique Kocher 140 mm C. avec Griffes · REF 35301P
  • B — KellyPince Hémostatique Kelly 140 mm C. sans Griffes · REF 35101P
  • C — CrilePince Hémostatique Crile 160 mm C. sans Griffes · REF 34502P
  • D — HalstedPince Hémostatique Halstead 120 mm C. sans Griffes · REF 34906P
  • E — LerichePince Hémostatique Leriche 150 mm C. avec Griffes · REF 35511P

Variants exist depending on the model: final identification is made from the exact reference and documentation.

Around the theatre

Why identify them correctly?

Precise identification makes it easier to prepare and recompose sets, to inspect, maintain and replace like for like, to manage references and to communicate between theatre, sterilisation and technical services.

Method

Learning to read a haemostatic forceps

  1. 01Which family?
  2. 02Which size and proportions?
  3. 03Straight or curved jaws?
  4. 04Serrations on which part of the jaws?
  5. 05Terminal teeth present or not?
  6. 06How fine are the jaws?
  7. 07Which exact configuration does the reference indicate?
  8. 08Are there MEDLANE gold rings signalling a tungsten carbide version?

Look at the jaws before reading the name.

MEDLANE catalogue

Explore MEDLANE forceps

Summary

The essentials in 30 seconds

01

Conventional toothed Kocher

Terminal teeth are the key clue.

02

Kelly and Crile

A conventional difference in the extent of the serrations, depending on model and reference.

03

Halsted

Fineness and a more delicate format as the classic clue.

04

Leriche

In the MEDLANE catalogue: straight or curved, with or without teeth, several lengths.

A single jaw detail can be enough to change an instrument's identity.

MEDLANE mini-atlas

Continue exploring instrumentation

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    Recognise them, understand their differences and identify their variants.

  • Coming soon

    DeBakey · Adson

    Understanding grasping forceps

  • Coming soon

    Mayo-Hegar · Mathieu · Olsen-Hegar

    Recognising the main families of needle holders

  • Coming soon

    Farabeuf · Deaver · Richardson

    Recognising retractors

All MEDLANE guides
MEDLANE Quality Lab

Documented control protocols

Extracts from MEDLANE technical documentation. They describe documented protocols, not instructions for use nor a statement of conformity.

01
Needle holders · haemostatic forceps

Elasticity test

  • The instrument is closed to the last ratchet tooth and held under load for 3 hours at room temperature.
  • After the corrosion test, the instrument is inspected for cracks and permanent deformation.
04
All architectures

Corrosion test

  • A cleaning cycle is applied to the instrument before testing.
  • The instrument is immersed in demineralised water at 90 °C for 1 hour, then air-dried.
  • Visual inspection looks for rust marks, micro-cracks and other surface defects.
MEDLANE Quality Lab →