Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Lahey forceps is a name used for several hand-held surgical instruments, most often a long-handled grasping forceps listed as goiter (thyroid) traction forceps with 3×3 teeth. It is a manual, reusable instrument that is supplied non-sterile and sterilized before use.
What Lahey forceps are
In the FDA’s AccessGUDID database, one manufacturer record reads “Symmetry Forceps, Lahey Goiter Traction, 3×3 Teeth, 6 in” (Aspen Surgical Products, catalog 73-7233). The record classifies it as a reusable, metallic soft-tissue manipulation forceps under GMDN term 62467, and describes it as a device intended to be sterilized before use.
The name “Lahey” is not one instrument. A search of the FDA’s UDI database for the word returns hundreds of records, covering forceps, clamps, retractors and scissors from many makers. This page covers the forceps and flags the look-alike names below.
How Lahey forceps are built
The manufacturer listings in the FDA UDI database describe the goiter traction type as a 6 to 6 1/4 inch forceps with 3×3 teeth (three teeth on one jaw meeting three on the other). Other Lahey-named forceps in the same database are described with longitudinal serrations rather than teeth, and one is described as full curve. The Aspen record lists the device as metallic and reusable.
Types listed under the Lahey name
The table shows variants as the manufacturers’ own descriptions appear in the FDA UDI database (queried 2026-10-30). All listed entries are marked as not single-use.
| Listed name (as in the record) | Maker | Listed length | FDA product code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lahey Goiter Traction Forceps, 3×3 teeth | Aspen Surgical (Symmetry) | 6 in | GEN |
| Lahey Goitre Seizing Forceps | BR Surgical | 6 in | KAE |
| Lahey Traction Forceps | Sklar | 6 1/4 in | GEN |
| Lahey Traction Forceps, 3×3 sharp | gSource | 6 1/4 in | MDM |
| Lahey Hemostat Forceps, straight | Integra Jarit | 6 in | HRQ |
| Lahey-Sweet Hemostatic Forceps, right angled, longitudinal serrations | Sontec | not stated in the description | HRQ |
| Lahey Forceps, Delicate, Angled, Longitudinal Serrations | Surgical Direct | 7 1/2 in | HTD |
| Forceps, Lahey, Full Curve, Longitudinal Serrations | Aspen Surgical (Symmetry) | 9 in | GEN |
| Lahey Gall Duct Clamp, angled right, 90 degrees | Aesculap | 7 1/2 in (190 mm) | HRQ |
The table lists names and sizes as recorded.
Sizes in FDA records
Across the records above, the goiter traction forceps are listed at 6 to 6 1/4 inches, the hemostatic type at 6 inches, and the longer Lahey-named forceps and gall duct clamp at 7 1/2 to 9 inches. Catalog length is one of the few specification fields the records give consistently; jaw width, material grade and finish are not part of these listings.
Regulatory status and reprocessing
- Class I. FDA classification records for product codes HTD (Forceps), GEN (Forceps, General & Plastic Surgery) and HYA (Forceps, Wire Holding) are device class 1 under regulation number 878.4800, specialty General, Plastic Surgery.
- Manual surgical instrument for general use. 21 CFR 878.4800 describes such an instrument as a nonpowered, hand-held or hand-manipulated device that may be reusable or disposable, and places it in class I (general controls), exempt from premarket notification subject to the limitations in 21 CFR 878.9.
- Reusable and non-sterile as supplied. The Aspen AccessGUDID record lists the forceps as not packaged sterile, requiring sterilization before use by moist heat (steam), not single-use, prescription use, not implantable, and not labeled as containing natural rubber latex.
For how reprocessing fits into instrument handling, see sterilization technology and the comparison autoclavable vs single-use surgical instruments. The cleaning and sterilization method for a specific instrument is whatever its manufacturer’s instructions for use specify.
What the product records say about supply status
The FDA records give two fields that matter before any other: whether the item is reusable or single-use, and whether it ships sterile or is sterilized before use. Both appear on the product’s own record and in the manufacturer’s instructions for use. The records do not rank types, jaw patterns or sizes; those details come from the manufacturer’s listing.
- The Aspen record lists the forceps as supplied non-sterile and sterilized before use.
- “Lahey” alone does not identify an instrument; the exact product name and catalog number do.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Lahey forceps a single instrument?
No. A search of the FDA UDI database for “lahey” matches 442 records, including goiter traction forceps, hemostatic forceps, gall duct clamps, retractors and scissors.
What FDA class are Lahey forceps?
FDA classification records for the general forceps product codes (HTD, GEN, HYA) show device class 1 under 21 CFR 878.4800.
Are Lahey forceps reusable?
The Aspen Symmetry goiter traction record lists the device as reusable, not single-use, and not packaged sterile.
Common mistakes
- Assuming “Lahey” means one instrument. The same name appears on goiter traction forceps, hemostatic forceps, gall duct clamps, finger retractors (listed at 4 3/4 in) and Metzenbaum-Lahey scissors (listed at 5 3/4 in).
- Treating a distributor’s description as a specification. The FDA UDI record is the manufacturer-submitted description; check it against the product’s instructions for use.
- Confusing it with other forceps and clamps. For neighbouring instruments, see what a hemostat is, Bonney forceps, the Doyen clamp and plastic surgery instruments.
Where to browse related products
General surgical and procedural instruments, including forceps, are listed by category at lac.us.
Sources
All sources checked 2026-10-30.
- FDA AccessGUDID, device record 00887482040065: https://accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov/devices/00887482040065
- openFDA device classification (product codes HTD, GEN, HYA): https://api.fda.gov/device/classification.json
- openFDA UDI database, search for “lahey”: https://api.fda.gov/device/udi.json?search=device_description:lahey
- 21 CFR 878.4800, Manual surgical instrument for general use: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/878.4800
