Not so long ago, one would have been hard pressed to find an operating room stocked with rongeurs longer than seven or eight inches in length. As planet Earth's population gnaws it's way along an inexorable geometric progression (we're talking girth), the variety of body types encountered has spurred a series of surgical instruments in increasingly longer lengths.

Nine inch rongeurs grew to ten, then twelve inches. Today, shaft lengths of fifteen inches are not entirely uncommon. Past issues of Talking Back have highlighted Buxton's range of Leksell and Kerrison rongeurs for the macrosomatous patient.

Long shafts can now be found on our popular cup rongeurs. Buxton's extended length IVD's are offered as straight, up and down biting and in several cup styles including Cushing, Weil-Blakesley and those of Caspar. The additional reach provided by shaft lengths of 250 mm and 300 mm is greatly appreciated when the next to be seen on the operating table was also the last to sing at the opera.

Talking Back, Vol. 2, No. 1