A sterile, long, thin, hand-held manual surgical instrument designed to cut tissue during ear surgery; it is not intended for insertion through an endoscope. Sometimes referred to as alligator-scissors, it has a slender body (to allow for restricted access) and small shearing blades which are hinged at the distal (working) end. It is made of metal and available in various sizes/lengths; the blades may have carbide inserts along the cutting edges. This is a single-use device.