The alligator clip is a medical instrument specially designed to ensure precision and control during the extraction of foreign bodies, such as insects, toys or plants, in the nose or in the ear. It can also be used to place a foreign object such as a ventilation tube or an eyelet in the ear.

The alligator clip, also called Hartmann’s forceps or ENT (Otorhinolaryngology) forceps, is a medical instrument specially adapted to grip, extract or place foreign bodies in a cavity, such as the nose or the ear.

Due to its studied shape and its grooved jaws to ensure a better grip, this medical forceps, in stainless steel, allows a good grip and a good precision in the gesture, including in wet conditions or in the mucous membranes.

The alligator clip is an essential medical tool used to:

• extract small foreign bodies in a cavity without injuring the patient, such as earwax accumulated in the ear, insects, toys, or even plants;
• place a foreign object such as a ventilation tube or an eyelet in the ear.

The alligator clip is very easy to clean and maintain. It can be cleaned by hand in a soaking tank with a cleaning product that does not attack stainless steel or in an autoclave with a suitable product by following the following instructions:

• temperature: 134 ° C;
• pressure: 2 bars;
• duration: 18 minutes;
• let cool before using.

Precautions for use

• clean, disinfect and sterilize all new alligator clips before their first use;
• do not allow blood or any other residue to dry out on the alligator clip;
• if cleaning has to be postponed, place the alligator clip in a closed container and let it soak in a suitable detergent solution to slow down drying;
• scrupulously respect the dosage, application time and temperatures recommended for disinfection and cleaning;
• do not use brushes or metal sponges for manual cleaning;
• rinse thoroughly after washing using deionized or distilled water whenever possible;
• dry carefully after rinsing;
• use the alligator clip only for the purpose for which it was designed;
• remember that sterilization cannot replace preliminary treatments such as cleaning and disinfection. It is nevertheless the essential complement.

The use of this forceps requires the wearing of medical gloves.

Alligator clips are made of stainless steel. Because this steel comes into contact with human tissue, it must comply with international standards and current regulations. The alligator clip must therefore comply with directive 93/42 / EC and ISO 13485 (2016).

In addition, alligator clips are available in different sizes, depending on the use you want to make of them: from 9 to 16 cm long with jaws of varying sizes as well.