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Rongeur (bone nibbler)
Also called: bone rongeur, rongeur forceps, bone nibbler
Spring-loaded pliers with sharp cupped jaws that snip away bone.
A rongeur has sharp, cup-shaped jaws that cut or pinch bone when squeezed. A spring between the handles opens it again, so the surgeon can make repeated small bites. Side-cutting and end-cutting types trim sharp bone edges after extractions.
How to spot it
- Heavy pliers with a spring between the handles and small cupped jaws.
- Rongeur vs. extraction forceps: rongeur jaws are cupped and sharp and the handles spring open.
What it is used for
- Trimming sharp bone after extractions and in other surgery.
Safety and care
- Critical item (it goes into soft tissue or touches bone): clean it, package it and heat-sterilize it after every patient.
- Sharp working end: carry it point-down in a closed cassette, and never reach blindly into a pile of instruments.
Related
Sources: Majid M. Oral Surgery Lec. 9+10: Basic surgical instruments. Al-Mustansiriyah University