Kocher Clamp
Heavy, fully-toothed tissue clamp designed by Emil Theodor Kocher (1841–1917, Bern; 1909 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine for his work on the thyroid).
Design
- Heavy-duty jaws with fully interlocking teeth
- Ratcheted closure — secure hold
- Traumatic grip — intended for tissue that will be removed or included in a secure closure
Key Uses
- Fascia grasp during closure
- Dense scar and discarded tissue
- Tissue that will be crushed as part of a strong closure (e.g., pedicle inclusion)
History
Emil Kocher was a founding figure in modern surgery — the first surgeon awarded a Nobel Prize. His contributions span thyroid surgery, abdominal exposure (the Kocher maneuver for duodenal mobilization), and instrument design. The clamp shares his name with many other "Kocher" instruments and eponymous maneuvers across general and hepatopancreatobiliary surgery.