Abstract

PIP: I was interested to read Mr. M. McD. Usherwood's account of the breakage of Palmer's diathermy forceps (June 30, p. 773). I have had the same problem during a laparoscopic sterilization. Another pair of Palmer's forceps was not immediately available, but fortunately it was possible to remove the broken claw of the forceps by means of sigmoidoscopy biopsy forceps through the cannula, and after a short interval the sterilization was completed by the laparoscopic method. The forceps were almost new, and I wonder if these were isolated incidents or whether some of the current instruments available are not strong enough for this purpose.