Word parts
hem/o blood-stat stopping, standing still
What it means
A scissor-like clamping instrument with jaws that lock shut. Surgeons use it to clamp a bleeding vessel before tying or cauterizing it, and to grasp tissue or sutures. Common types are the mosquito (small and fine), the Crile and the Kelly, which differ in size and in how far the grooves on the jaws run.
At a glance
| Also written | hemostats |
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Related terms
hem/o
A word part that means blood.
hemostasis
The stopping of bleeding, either by the body's own clotting process or by medical or surgical methods.
retractor
A surgical instrument that holds back tissue or organs so the surgeon can see and reach the operative site.
serration
A row of small tooth-like ridges, such as the grooves on the jaws of a surgical clamp.