Crutchfield Cervical Traction Tongs
A skeletal cervical traction device made of two hinged, X-shaped arms, each ending in a metal pin fixed into pre-drilled holes in the outer table of the skull. Designed by American neurosurgeon William Gayle Crutchfield in 1933.
How it is used
Skeletal traction for reducing and stabilizing cervical spine fractures and facet dislocations, applying progressive weight through an overhead pulley; a classic bridge to definitive fixation in neurosurgical trauma care.
Clinical tip
Largely superseded by Gardner-Wells tongs, which are simpler to place percutaneously and carry lower risk of pulling out of the skull; Crutchfield tongs still appear in classic literature and complication-rate comparisons (higher than Gardner-Wells).
Sources
This entry is part of the Instriq catalog, researched and written per specialty from real web research -- never generated or invented without verification -- and reviewed skeptically and independently before publication. How this catalog is written.