Tenaculum

It was a recognized procedure in those days (and is resorted to still), when all medical, electrical, and other remedial measures had failed to relieve a furious neuralgia, for the surgeon to cut down upon the nerve-trunk, free it from its surrounding attachments, and, slipping his tenaculum or finger under it, stretch the nerve with a considerable degree of force.

Additional tenaculums are placed laterally to maintain control Within the bounds of the broad ligaments and yet allow maximum feasible removal.