Surgical retractors (an
orthopedic instrument) help surgeons and operating room professionals hold an
incision or wound open during surgical procedures. They aid in holding back
underlying tissues or organs, allowing doctors/ nurses better visibility and
access to the exposed area.
The right medical
device lighting and retractor will bring light and comfort directly into the
surgical cavity where it is needed. If you are a physician, surgical rotation
can be strenuous on your arms and if you are a patient you want the best care.
Retractors play an
important role in surgery. Now, they are available in different shapes, sizes,
and designs. Surgical retractor lighting could allow orthopedic surgeons to
better navigate in deep or minimally open cavities. Better visibility during
and at the end of surgery is useful to both the patient and surgical team.
Most surgical
instruments can be categorized into 4 basic types:
1.
Cutting and Dissecting
2.
Clamping and Occluding
3.
Retracting and exposing
4.
Grasping and Holding
In this article,
further on we will discuss some of the instruments used today with their
similarities and differences.
Surgical Retractors and
their Use in the Surgeries. Surgical retractors are not all created equal and it
is necessary to choose the right one.
Two
broad categories of retractors are-
1. Hand
Retractors- (Manual) must be held by a robot, an assistant, the surgeon during
a procedure.
2. Self-Retaining
Retractors- (Stay open for their own) have a bone screw, or some type of clamp
to hold the tissue by itself. These allow the surgeon with two free hands.
Retractors fall under
the “Retracting and Exposing” orthopedic instruments used in the OR. The
various types of retractors are generally named after the organ which they are
used in conjunction with.
For example, retractors
which are used to retract an abdomen, are called abdominal retractors or
self-retaining abdominal retractors. If it is your skin being handled, there
are specific retractors.
All the retractors are
of great value and needed by the medical profession.
Common Hand -held
Retractors (Manual)
1. Senn-
It is a handheld, double-ended retractor used to retract primarily surface
tissue. “Mostly used in plastic surgery, dissection of neck tissue, small bone
and joint procedures, or thyroidectomy.
2. Army- Navy-
Used to retract superficial or shallow incisions. From small wounds to
abdominal operations.
3. Ribbon (Malleable)-
Used to retract deep wounds. May be bent to various shapes to support in
holding back tissue.
4. Hohmann-
used in orthopedics to expose bone for procedures.
5. Farabeuf-
It is a versatile handheld retractor that is used in multiple procedures. It
may be used in dentistry, hand and wrist procedures, or in hernia repair to
name a few.
6. Meyerding-
Frequently used to hold back muscle and tissue in spinal and neurosurgical
procedures such as laminectomy.
7. Deaver-
Used to retract chest or deep abdominal incisions. Used in Cholecystectomy
(removal of gallbladder) for retraction of right lobe of liver. Used in Truncal
vagotomy (part of the main trunk of the vagus nerve) for retraction of left
lobe of liver.
8. Richardson-
Retract chest or abdominal incisions. Used for holding back several layers of
deep tissue. This is one of the most commonly used retractors.
Self-Retaining
Retractors (Hold their position and once set in place)
1. Weitlaner-
It is a popular orthopedic instrument,
most commonly used in basic plastic surgery, large bone and joint procedures.
2. Balfour Abdominal Retractor- Retractwoundedgesduring
procedures of deep abdominal.
3. Finochietto Rib Retractor
(rib spreader) precisely designed to separate ribs in thoracic surgery.
4. Hip Retractor System-
Siora Surgicals has a huge selection of surgical instruments for every
specialty. We are the top-rated orthopedic instrument suppliers and
manufacturer. The self-retaining hip retractor helps to free assisting
personnel while providing excellent exposure during hip fracture surgery and
hip arthroplasty.
5. Gelpi-
Retract shallow incisions. Mostly used in smaller surgical sites. Common in
spine surgery.
Talking about spinal
surgery, there are three possible approaches to the spine during a surgical
procedure. The surgeon’s approach to the spine impacts the kind of orthopedicinstruments that will be used
for the procedure.
If you ever experienced
severe back pain and needed relief, you might have heard of these options-
3
different approaches to spine surgery:
1.
Anterior-
from the spine’s front
2.
Posterior-
from the spine’s back
3.
Lateral-
on the spine’s side
The lateral approach
uses minimally invasive instruments. It is used to treat back or leg pain
usually caused by degenerative disc disease.
The procedure is
performed from the patient’s side, avoiding the major muscles of the back. The
procedure was once traditionally performed with a large incision on the back,
stripping muscles away from the spine. It usually meant longer down time.