Hysterectomy Instrument Set — Complete TAH Surgical Tools Guide

Hysterectomy remains one of the most commonly performed major surgeries globally. The instrument set configuration changes considerably depending on surgical approach — total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) requires a very different tray from a vaginal or laparoscopic-assisted case. This guide covers the open TAH configuration, which is the most widely used in hospital settings across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Standard Hysterectomy Instrument Set — TAH Configuration

Retractors

• O’Sullivan-O’Connor self-retaining retractor — the primary retractor for open hysterectomy; the ring-and-blade design holds the abdominal wall open without a dedicated assistant throughout the procedure
• Deaver retractors (2 pcs, narrow and wide) — for bladder retraction during uterovesical space dissection and lateral pelvic exposure
• Richardson retractors (pair) — initial exposure before the self-retaining retractor is positioned

Pedicle Clamps — The Core of a Hysterectomy Set

Pedicle clamps define a hysterectomy set. These are not general-purpose clamps — they are long (20 to 24 cm), angled, and designed to clamp the broad ligament, uterine vessels, and vaginal angles without slipping under the tension applied during ligation and transection.

• Heaney clamps (8 pcs) — the standard curved pedicle clamp for the uterine artery, round ligament, and infundibulopelvic pedicles; available in single-tooth and serrated jaw patterns
• Masterson clamps (4 pcs) — straight jaw, used for the parametrium and vaginal angles where a straight approach is more controlled
• Zeppelin clamps (4 pcs) — a widely used alternative to Heaney in European and Middle Eastern hospitals; the angled jaw pattern provides controlled pedicle compression at the vaginal cuff level
• Kocher clamps (6 pcs) — for the round ligaments and ovarian pedicles

Long-Pattern Tissue Forceps

• Long Russian tissue forceps, 24 cm — atraumatic broad grip for pelvic tissue handling at depth
• Long Bonney tissue forceps, 23 cm — for deep pelvic fascial closure and peritoneal handling
• Long Adson-Brown forceps — fine tissue work at the vaginal cuff level during closure

Scissors

• Long curved Mayo scissors, 23 cm — pedicle transection and broad ligament cutting; the extra length reaches the deep pelvis without the surgeon’s hands obstructing the field
• Long Metzenbaum scissors, 23 cm — dissection of the uterovesical space and bladder reflection off the lower uterine segment
• Jorgensen scissors — for transecting the vaginal cuff; the deeply curved blades follow the vaginal vault angle and make a clean circumferential cut

Needle Holders

• Heaney needle holders (2 pcs, 23 cm and 25 cm) — essential for deep pedicle suturing where standard-length holders cannot reach without awkward angles
• Mayo-Hegar needle holders (2 pcs, 20 cm) — uterosacral and cardinal ligament suturing

Supporting Instruments

• Sponge-holding (ring) forceps, 24 cm — for abdominal packs and cavity swabs
• Backhaus towel clips (8 pcs)
• Yankauer suction handle
• Scalpel handles No. 3 and No. 4

Jaw Length in Pedicle Clamps — Why It Matters

A Heaney clamp with a standard 3.5 cm jaw covers the uterine artery pedicle in most patients. In overweight patients or those with large fibroids, the vessel bundle is wider and a 3.5 cm jaw may not include the complete pedicle — leaving exposed vessels that bleed after the clamp is released. Fizza Surgical offers Heaney clamps in both standard (3.5 cm jaw) and wide jaw (4.0 cm) configurations. We recommend including both in sets for teaching hospitals where patient body habitus varies widely.

Durability Standards

Pedicle clamps take significant mechanical stress — the ratchet mechanism locks under the pressure of clamped tissue, and repeated high-temperature autoclaving degrades box joints in lower-quality instruments. All Fizza Surgical hysterectomy set instruments are manufactured from 316L stainless steel with ratchet mechanisms tested to 5,000 open-close cycles. Needle holder jaws use tungsten carbide inserts for long-term grip performance.

Full ISO 13485:2016 certification and CE marking are standard on all sets.

Vaginal and LAVH Add-On Sets

We configure vaginal hysterectomy (VH) sets with Breisky vaginal retractors, Sims speculum, and Auvard weighted speculum. Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) sets with laparoscopic needle holders and trocar ports are also available. Contact us for those tray specifications or to request our full hysterectomy range catalog.