Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Who uses it: surgical and procedural staff, central sterile reprocessing teams, clinic buyers and students who meet the name “Gerald” on an instrument list. After reading you should be able to tell what the name usually refers to, why the same name appears under several FDA product codes, and what the listed lengths and tip widths look like.
What are Gerald forceps?
Gerald forceps are hand-held, non-powered forceps sold under the Gerald name, most often as a fine tissue (thumb) forceps. ErgoDenta’s instrument guide describes Gerald tips as slim and elongated and Adson tips as slightly wider and sturdier (ErgoDenta, checked 2026-10-30). The name is a pattern label rather than a regulatory term, so catalogs file it as a tissue forceps, a dressing forceps, a DeBakey-type forceps or a bipolar forceps.
For comparison with other patterns, see medical forceps types, Brown-Adson forceps and Bonney forceps, Lahey forceps and the wound closure kit guide.
Why does one name appear as tissue, dressing and bipolar forceps?
Because FDA classification follows the product code and the labeling, not the pattern name. In the AccessGUDID device records (queried through openFDA on 2026-10-30), listings with “Gerald” and “forceps” in the description are filed under several different product codes. Each code below was checked in the openFDA classification database on 2026-10-30.
| Product code | FDA device name | Class | Regulation | Example Gerald listing in GUDID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTD | Forceps | 1 | 21 CFR 878.4800 | Gerald Dressing Forceps, serrated jaws, 7 in (Med Saver MSI) |
| GEN | Forceps, General & Plastic Surgery | 1 | 21 CFR 878.4800 | Gerald forceps, flat handle, delicate 1×2 teeth, straight tips, 7 in (Novo Surgical) |
| DWS | Instruments, Surgical, Cardiovascular | 1 | 21 CFR 870.4500 | Gerald Tissue Forceps, 7 in (Aspen Symmetry) |
| GEI | Electrosurgical, Cutting & Coagulation & Accessories | 2 | 21 CFR 878.4400 | Gerald Bayonet Bipolar Forceps, 6 3/4 in, insulated (Surgical Direct) |
A dental dressing forceps code (EFL, 21 CFR 872.4565, Class 1) also exists in the same database, which shows how widely the word “forceps” is classified by specialty.
Types and variants as listed
The variants below are the ones that appear in the sampled GUDID descriptions; the labels are the manufacturers’ own.
- Gerald tissue forceps: listed with fine teeth (for example “delicate 1×2 teeth”) or serrated tips.
- Gerald dressing forceps: listed with serrated jaws and a flat handle.
- Gerald-DeBakey: listed as a Gerald with DeBakey-type atraumatic tips; Teleflex describes its Gerald DeBakey tissue forceps as having “delicate, tapered DeBakey-type serrations” (checked 2026-10-30).
- Gerald micro forceps: listed with 1.0 mm micro-ring tips at 8 in (Ambler).
- Gerald bipolar forceps: listed as bayonet-style with insulated shafts and 1.5 or 2.0 mm tips (Surgical Direct).
Lengths and tip widths in manufacturer listings
The values below are copied from AccessGUDID device descriptions (last updated 2026-10-01, checked 2026-10-30). They show the range that exists, not a standard size.
| Listing | Length | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Aspen Symmetry Gerald tissue forceps | 7 in | not stated |
| Raw Surgical Gerald forceps, fine | 7 in (17.8 cm) | 1 x 2 teeth |
| Novo Surgical Gerald-DeBakey tissue forceps | 7 in (17.8 cm) | 1.0 mm tips |
| Teleflex Gerald DeBakey tissue forceps, item 351910 | 6 7/8 in (17.5 cm); other lengths listed: 7 1/8, 8 1/8 and 9 1/2 in | angled jaw |
| Ambler Gerald micro forceps | 8 in | 1.0 mm micro-ring |
| Scanlan, flat handle | 7 in (18 cm) | 1 mm ring tips |
| Scanlan, flat handle | 12 in (30.5 cm) | 1.5 mm cross-serrated |
| Novo Surgical Gerald thumb forceps | 11 in (28.0 cm) | serrated |
| Peak Medical, straight | 14 in (35.5 cm) | 2 mm serrated |
| Surgical Direct Gerald bayonet bipolar | 6 3/4 in | 1.5 or 2.0 mm |
In short, listings run from about 6 3/4 in to 14 in, with tip widths from 1.0 to 2.0 mm where a width is stated.
How FDA regulates them
Under 21 CFR 878.4800 (checked 2026-10-30 via Cornell LII), a manual surgical instrument for general use is “a nonpowered, hand-held, or hand manipulated device” and the list of included devices names forceps. It is Class I (general controls) and exempt from premarket notification, subject to the limitations in 878.9. The same section says an instrument with specialized uses in a specific medical specialty is classified in separate regulations in parts 868 through 892; the cardiovascular forceps code DWS falls under 21 CFR 870.4500, also Class I. A Gerald that is an electrosurgical bipolar instrument is filed under code GEI, which the openFDA database lists as Class 2.
Safe handling and reprocessing basics
In the sampled AccessGUDID records for Gerald forceps, the sterilization-prior-to-use field is true: the labeler states the instrument is to be sterilized before use. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use for cleaning, inspection and sterilization of the specific model. Instrument categories, including medical forceps, are grouped by type in supply catalogs. This page does not describe clinical use steps.
Common mistakes
- Treating “Gerald” as one device: the same name is filed under tissue, dressing, cardiovascular and bipolar product codes, so check the product code and labeling on the exact item.
- Assuming a length: the listings above range from under 7 in to 14 in.
- Assuming Class I applies to every Gerald: the bipolar code GEI is Class 2.
FAQ
Are Gerald forceps tissue forceps or dressing forceps?
Both labels are used. Manufacturers list Gerald patterns as tissue forceps and as dressing forceps, and FDA files them under different product codes depending on the labeling.
What FDA class are Gerald forceps?
Under codes HTD, GEN and DWS the class is 1 (21 CFR 878.4800 and 870.4500). The bipolar code GEI is class 2.
Sources
- 21 CFR 878.4800, Cornell LII, https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/878.4800 (checked 2026-10-30).
- 21 CFR 870.4500, Cornell LII, https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/870.4500 (checked 2026-10-30).
- openFDA device classification API, https://api.fda.gov/device/classification.json (checked 2026-10-30).
- AccessGUDID via openFDA UDI API, https://api.fda.gov/device/udi.json (checked 2026-10-30).
- Teleflex Gerald DeBakey Tissue Forceps, item 351910, https://us.myteleflex.com/en/USD/Surgical-Instruments/General/Gerald-DeBakey%C2%AE-Tissue-Forceps/p/351910 (checked 2026-10-30).
- ErgoDenta, dental tweezers collection, https://ergodenta.dk/blog/products-13/ergodenta-dental-tweezers-collection-25 (checked 2026-10-30).
