Speculums

A speculum opens a body cavity and holds it open so it can be examined or operated on. The word covers four very different instruments — eye, nose, ear and vaginal — and this collection brings all of them together, grouped by anatomy.

The range runs from wire eyelid specula a few centimetres across to weighted Auvard vaginal specula, with the named patterns clinicians order by: Lieberman, Barraquer, Killian, Hartmann, Gruber, Toynbee, Graves, Cusco, Pederson and Sims. Order single pieces or ask our team to quote a mixed list.

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What This Collection Covers

Eye specula — Lieberman wire and aspirating specula (including titanium and V-blade versions), Barraquer and Kratz-Barraquer wire, Lancaster, Mellinger, Murdock, Mueller, McIntyre and Maumenee-Park
Nasal specula — Killian (35–88mm blades, with set screw or light guide), Killian septal, Hartmann-Halle adult and child
Ear specula — Gruber oval, Hartmann and Toynbee, singly and in sets
Vaginal specula — Graves, Kristeller, Cusco, Pederson, Sims double-ended, Auvard weighted, Jackson and Kallmorgen
Endocervical and rectal — Kogan endocervical specula (3–5mm, ratchet or screw lock), Mathieu rectal speculum, Kelly proctoscopes

One Word, Four Specialties

An eye speculum holds the lids apart for the whole of a cataract or LASIK case; it has to be light, low-profile and stable so it does not press on the globe. A nasal speculum spreads the nostril just enough for a light and an instrument. An ear speculum is simply a funnel — the canal does the holding. A vaginal speculum has to separate the walls against real pressure, which is why the blades are broad and some patterns carry a weight.

So the right choice starts with the site, then the patient size, then the locking method.

How to Choose

Size to the patient. Most patterns come in adult, child and infant sizes, or as numbered figures (Fig. 1, 2, 3). Blade length and width are stated on each listing.

Wire or solid blades (eye). Wire specula are lighter and leave more working room; solid blades keep lashes and fluid out of the field.

Locking. Screw, ratchet or spring. Screws hold a set opening; ratchets adjust quickly; spring specula open under their own tension.

Aspirating versions draw fluid off the field during refractive and cataract surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Graves and a Pederson speculum?
The Pederson has narrower, flatter blades and suits smaller or nulliparous patients. The Graves has wider, curved blades for a broader view.

What is a Lieberman speculum used for?
Holding the eyelids open during eye surgery. The wire, adjustable design gives stable exposure with minimal pressure on the eye.

Do you sell ear specula in sets?
Yes — Gruber, Hartmann and Toynbee specula are listed individually and as sets of three or four sizes.

What does "Fig." mean in a speculum name?
It is the manufacturer's figure number for a size. Fig. 1 is usually the smallest in the series.