Tenaculum forceps stabilise the cervix and straighten the uterine axis, and every design is a trade-off between how securely it holds and how much it damages what it holds. Peak Surgicals stocks three patterns in graduated lengths: Skene Tenaculum Forceps 24cm Curved (PS-GS-0019, $35.20), Lowa Tenaculum Forceps 26cm (PS-GS-0017, $35.20) and Pratt Tenaculum Forceps 28cm (PS-GS-0018, $35.20), in German stainless steel, CE marked and built under ISO 13485. Compare all three in the grid below.

Single-Tooth or Multi-Tooth? Pain Is Equal, Bleeding Is Not

Traction on a tenaculum reduces the cervico-uterine angle, and that is the whole point of the instrument: it is what opens a working line through the cervical os for sounding, dilation or device insertion. A single-tooth pattern achieves it by puncturing the cervical stroma on both sides and locking there, which holds securely but means the teeth can tear through tissue under traction. The cervix is supplied by the uterine arteries and bleeds readily, so that trauma is not incidental.

Multi-tooth patterns take the opposite approach, spreading grip across several fine teeth that are not intended to penetrate the mucosa. A randomised controlled trial comparing the two found no meaningful difference in patient-reported pain, but the time needed to control bleeding at the application site differed sharply: 1.1 minutes for the single-tooth pattern against 0.4 minutes for the multi-tooth. Pain is comparable; bleeding is not. We supply every pattern at MOQ 1.

Length, Curve and Where the Jaw Is Placed

Length is chosen against depth of field and how much of the instrument needs to sit outside the introitus while traction is held. Skene Tenaculum Forceps 24cm Curved (PS-GS-0019, $35.20) is the shortest of the three and the only curved pattern here, which lets the jaw approach the cervical lip at an angle rather than head on. Lowa Tenaculum Forceps 26cm (PS-GS-0017, $35.20) sits at standard working length, and Pratt Tenaculum Forceps 28cm (PS-GS-0018, $35.20) gives the longest reach for a posterior or deeply seated cervix.

Placement matters as much as pattern. Applying the tenaculum to the cervical lip furthest from the introitus straightens the uterine axis most effectively when traction is drawn, which is what reduces the force needed at the instrument and, with it, the tearing risk at the puncture sites.

Material, Reprocessing and Certification

Every pattern is forged from German stainless steel and passivated for corrosion resistance across repeated cycles. The inspection point is the tooth and the ratchet: check each tooth under light for blunting or a rolled point, because a dulled tooth needs more force to seat and more force is exactly what tears the cervical stroma. Close to the first ratchet tooth and confirm it holds without slipping, and check the jaws meet in alignment so the load sits on both teeth rather than one. Clean immediately with a neutral-pH enzymatic solution, brushing into the box lock and around the tooth base, then rinse with deionised water and dry fully before autoclaving at 134°C.

These are Class I reusable devices, CE-marked and built to ISO 13485, with a 1-year manufacturing warranty. We ship at MOQ 1 with free shipping over $99, and OEM production is available for distributors. See Tenaculum Hooks for single-pronged patterns, or browse all Gynecology Instruments. Talk to us about OEM terms.