In 1932 Alexander Randall, of Philadelphia, described a set of four forceps which he had devised for the removal of calculi from the renal pelvis.1 These instruments may be employed to great advantage in removal of choledochal stones and in exploration and manipulation of the bile ducts and ampulla. Their adaptability to this type of surgery, however, is apparently not generally appreciated. The object of this report is to call attention to the advantages of the Randall forceps in bile duct surgery. In addition, a fifth clamp will be described, representing a slight modification of the Randall forceps, intended to supplement, but not to replace, the conventional set.
The four Randall forceps may be found in the surgical equipment of most hospitals; however, they are customarily classed as urological rather than as general surgical instruments. The set consists of four grasping forceps, similar to one another in length and