During any surgical procedure, there is a need for specialised instruments which can aid in keeping the surgical cavity or an incision open, whenever needed. Surgical retractors are used for this purpose. Retractors allow surgeons and practitioners to hold back the underlying tissues and anatomical structures, thereby increasing visibility and clearing the view. New Med is a certified surgical company manufacturing and supplying high-grade surgical instruments and retractors in varying sizes and styles to enable practitioners to navigate their way in minutely opened surgical cavities. 


This article will serve as an essential guide to surgical retractors, their categorization, and respective types along with their distinctive features and applications. 

Surgical Retractors: General Categorization

To cater to different modes of action and the nature of the surgeries, surgical retractors are available in two broad categories: hand-held retractors and self-retaining retractors.

Hand-held Retractors

Hand-held retractors need to be held actively by practitioners, surgeons, or robots for manual manipulation and manoeuvring. 

Self-retaining Retractors

Self-retaining retractors work on their own without any need for outside manipulation. They either have a ratchet lock mechanism or a clamp which allows them to remain open, thereby enabling the surgeons to free up their hands during surgery. 

Surgical Retractors for General Surgeries

Ribbon Retractors

Curated to maintain the surgical site wide open and hold back delicate organs and tissues, when needed, ribbon retractors are used. Ribbon retractors take their name from their unique ribbon-like blades, which offer flexible manipulation during surgeries. They fall under the category of hand-held retractors and should be actively manipulated at all times. These are versatile in their functionality and could be used in several surgical procedures.

Army-Navy Retractor

In most major and minor surgical sets, Army-Navy retractors are used to hold back superficial wounds. They are solidly built with a hand-held handle and use two different variations of blades: blunt and curved to retract both skin and bones. They are mostly employed during surgeries of the rectum and appendectomies. 

Richardson Retractor

Richardson retractor is a hand-handled surgical instrument designed with two prongs, one sharp and the other blunt. Richardson retractor has a crescent-like configuration of blades which assists in retracting deep tissues. Due to their terminal curvature, they are atraumatic and ensure minimal damage to the nearby tissues. They are mostly used to hold back the abdominal wall and chest cavity. 

Gelpi Retractor

Gelpi retractors are self-retaining, built in a compact shape with pointed prongs to hold back thick and bulky tissues. They mostly find applications in neuro surgeries, orthopaedic surgical procedures, and cosmetic surgeries, among others. Gelpi retractors have a ratchet lock mechanism which mechanically assists the surgery practitioners. 

Balfour Retractor

Curated specifically for holding back thick abdominal walls, Balfour retractors find usage in multifarious surgeries of the abdominal cavities. Structured with a unique hinged design, Balfour retractors are self-retaining with a ratchet lock mechanism freeing the surgeon’s hands for active manipulation. In case there is a need to access the intestinal tract or the liver, Balfour retractors are exclusively put to use. 

Farabeuf Retractor

Frabeuf retractors are used in general surgical procedures. They need to be actively manipulated and are versatile, for they can keep open cavities during dental surgeries, hand operations, and hernia repair.

Surgical Retractors

Retractors for Surgeries of the Abdomen and Gynaecology

Bookwalter Self-Retaining Retractor

Bookwalter self-retaining retractors are most commonly employed during abdominal surgeries to keep the abdominal cavity open. They can also be put to service during surgeries related to gynaecology. 

Fan Retractor

In technically challenging surgeries, surgeons need to have an exposed surgical site. Fan retractors are mostly used in this category. They are simple to use and easy to access with their effortless structural design.

Deaver Retractor

Deaver retractors are hand-held, typically used to hold back abdominal walls and incisions in the chest cavity. They are frequently employed during Cholecystectomy to stretch back the right lobe of the liver. Surgeons often put them to service during Truncal Vagotomy to push aside the left lobe of the liver when it’s falling in the way. 

Retractors for Neurological Surgeries

Love Spinal Retractor

Love spinal and nerve root retractors are used to stretch back delicate tissues surrounding the spinal cord. These are mostly employed during thoracic procedures and lumbar surgeries. To provide maximum protection, they are crafted with flexible material to provide a mouldable frame and are generally self-retaining.

Cranial Rongeur

Cranial rongeurs are strongly built instruments made to pick up shards of bones during cranium surgeries such as craniotomies. 

Caspar Cervical Retractor

To open up the surgical field during cervical spinal surgeries, Caspar cervical retractors are used. They assist in stretching back spinal muscles and other structures to help in accessing the surgical site. They are self-retaining, enabling the practitioners to keep their hands free.

Greenberg Retractor

Greenberg retractors are self-retaining retractors supplemented with a ratchet lock mechanism to allow surgeons to free up their hands during highly precise neurosurgeries such as tumour resections. 

Meyerding Retractor

Meyerding retractors are mechanical hand-held instruments crafted in a curved shape to hold back muscles during lumbar procedures. They can keep the tissues stretched but need active handling to keep the surgical site open. 


Surgical Retractors for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeries

Finochietto Rib Spreader

Designed specifically for holding back the chest cavity, Finochietto rib spreaders are used to actively manipulate the rib cage. They are self-retaining. 

Duval Lung Spatula

Duval Lung spatula is mostly employed to retract lung tissue during thoracic surgical procedures. 

DeBakey Atraumatic Vascular Retractor

DeBakey Atraumatic Vascular Retractors are self-retaining instruments which assist in retracting fragile cardiovascular tissues and blood vessels during intensive-care heart surgeries. They have a ratchet lock mechanism, enabling practitioners to keep their hands free during surgeries. 

Retractors for Orthopedic Surgeries

Hohmann Retractor

Hohmann retractors are hand-held retractors, commonly put to application during orthopedic surgeries to pull back fragile bones and tissues. This allows the surgeon to navigate through the surgical site easily.

Langenbeck Retractor

Lagenback retractors use two blade variants: a sharp, pointed blade in opposition to a curved blade. Surgeons mostly use them for tissue retraction during surgeries on the bones. 

Harrington Retractor

Manufactured to assist surgeries for correcting scoliosis, Harrington retractors take up their properties from curved blades. They are beneficial during surgeries on the spinal cord. 

Retractors for Plastic Surgeries and Opthalmology 

Desmarres Lid Retractor

During eye surgeries, there is an active need to keep the eyelids stretched for surgeons to navigate their way through the surgical site. Desmarres Lid retractors are used specifically for surgeries of the eye. 

Ragnell Retractor

Ragnell retractors have a double end which enables them to retract and expose tissues during facial surgeries. They are versatile and can be used in different procedures. 

Aufricht Nasal Retractor

During nose reconstructive surgeries, the nasal cavity needs to be stretched apart to increase the visibility of the operating site. Aufricht nasal retractors are specifically used for this purpose.

FAQs

Q1: How can you keep your surgical retractors in the right form and shape?

To keep the surgical retractors maintained and clean, it is recommended to steam sterilize them for a maximum of 15 minutes. You can also use light-wash surgical detergents with microbrushes to clean them thoroughly.

Q2: How do surgical retractors work?

Surgical Retractors are either hand-held or self-retaining. Hand-held retractors require active handling for manipulation while self-retaining retractors use screws, clamps, or ratchet lock mechanisms to keep the cavity open, without any need for the surgeon to actively engage in holding the instrument. 


Transform Your Surgical Practice with New Med’s Advanced Range of Surgical Retractors

New Med is a classified name in the realm of surgical instruments manufacturing and supplying high-quality surgical instruments and surgical retractors which can transform your medical practice. All our surgical retractors are made from high-grade stainless steel to keep the instruments safe for patients. Our team actively engages in quality control tests to ensure standards and excellence. 


If you are looking for durable and versatile surgical retractors, New Med’s extensive assortment of retractors has a ready solution for you. To book your orders, contact us and revolutionize your surgical practice now!