At first blush, you might not think that dowel pins have a place in the medical industry, let alone a critical one…but you’d be wrong.  In fact, dowel pins have a long history in medical applications, particularly in orthopedics (humans and animals) and medical/surgical equipment, worldwide.

• In orthopedic (and dental) applications, dowel pins serve to give strength and stability in joining fractured bone where splints are either not practical or sufficiently strong.
• In dental applications, dowel pins can be inserted in a root canal to provide retention and alignment for a crown.
• In medical/surgical equipment, dowel pins play an essential part in surgical retractor holders, forceps, and other implements.

 

The Subtle, Yet Important Part That Dowel Pins Play in Medical Forceps

Medical forceps are a gripping/grabbing type of surgical instrument used during medical/surgical procedures. When operated with the fingers, they offer more technical efficiency and precise function than fingers alone can provide.  Forceps are generally categorized as either scissor or tweezer style; their names should give you an ample image of their appearance.  

Let’s examine the subtle but essential use of a dowel pin in scissor style forceps.  Scissor style forceps, also known as hemostats, clamps, or “ring forceps,” are so named because they have rings for the thumb and forefinger and pivot in the middle, much like scissors.  As with (surgical) scissors, the two main components connect near the center of the tool with a hinge.  When one end opens, the other end closes. As critical as these two main components are, they cannot function without the hinge…and it is generally a custom dowel pin that fills that role. There are also Pivoting-Jaw Forceps, where the jaw pivots at a perpendicular axis to the primary hinge.  It, too, pivots at a hinge…another place where a custom dowel pin provides that critical function.

The Importance of Quality and Attention to Detail in the Medical Equipment Industry

On a daily basis, our healthcare professionals depend on a variety of equipment to perform their duties. Many of these tasks, which can directly affect the lives of their patients, depend on the reliability of the medical devices they employ and the suppliers who manufacture them.

You can trust Horberg Industries to provide the perfect mix of manufacturing experience, attention to detail, and customer service…just as we have “Since 1935.”

Horberg Industries…Dowel Pins Made Right!