Toothless Adson's forceps are used for what purpose?

• A. Hold tissue without crushing it
• B. Handle sutures
• C. Blunt dissection
• D. Cutting sutures

Answer: (B)

Toothless Adson's forceps have smooth, flat tips with no teeth, which makes them atraumatic. That design lets you grasp and manipulate suture material securely without crushing or fraying it. In practice, these forceps are used to handle sutures during placement and knot tying, enabling precise control of the suture ends without damaging them. They aren’t the right tool for cutting sutures (scissors do that), nor are they the best choice for blunt dissection (a blunt dissector is used there). While they can aid in delicate tissue handling, their distinct role is suture management due to the smooth, non-teeth tips.