Cranioclast
Encyclopedia
A cranioclast is surgical instrument akin to a strong forceps
. It was once used to crush and then extract the skull of a fetus
so as to facilitate delivery in cases of obstructed labour. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cranioclast
Forceps
Forceps or forcipes are a handheld, hinged instrument used for grasping and holding objects. Forceps are used when fingers are too large to grasp small objects or when many objects need to be held at one time while the hands are used to perform a task. The term 'forceps' is used almost exclusively...
. It was once used to crush and then extract the skull of a fetus
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
so as to facilitate delivery in cases of obstructed labour. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cranioclast