A rongeur is a strongly constructed instrument with a sharp-edged, scoop-shaped tip, used for gouging out bone. Rongeur is a French word that means rodent or 'gnawer'. [1] A rongeur can be used to open a window in bone, often in the skull. It is used in neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery to expose areas for operation. [2]
A rongeur is also used in oral maxillofacial surgery. It is also used in hand surgery to cut traumatic amputated bone to allow skin to be closed over the defect.
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