A bulldog forceps, clamp or serrefine is a type of forceps which is used in

surgery Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...

. It has serrated jaws and a spring action so that it will grip and hold sutures, tissues or vessels. The spring may be weak or the jaws sheathed in a soft material so that the item being gripped is not crushed too severely. Forceps of this general type were designed by particular

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

s including Johann Dieffenbach and Robert Liston.

References

{{surgery-stub Medical clamps