Surgical Retractors - Their Types and Usages in Orthopedic Surgery

Veterinary orthopedics is the branch of surgery that focuses on the diagnoses and treatment of the issues related to the musculoskeletal system of animals. Orthopedic problems can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. Orthopedic surgeons can treat musculoskeletal traumas through surgery or nonsurgical means. Different surgical instruments are used during surgery to treat the patient. Surgical tools are usually made of German stainless material to increase their durability and robustness. After proper sterilization, they can easily be reused again. While buying an instrument, surgeons must buy the ones made with high quality and relevant features to ensure proper and precise working. A faulty instrument can ruin a surgical operation and cause harm to the patient. Each tool needs to be of perfect size and characteristics to make the procedure easier for the surgeons and atraumatic for the animal. Today, we will learn about the uses of surgical retractors.

Retractor Surgical Instruments

During surgery, it often becomes necessary to hold the tissues that obstruct the exploration of the surgical site. Surgical Retractors are specific surgical tools that are designed to fulfill this purpose. They hold the tissues aside and stop them from obstructing the view. There are many different kinds of retractors available in the market. Each retractor is specifically designed for a specific purpose. Let us discuss a few types and their uses:

Handheld Retractors:

Handheld retractors can be used manually by surgeons. They allow the surgeon to hold and adjust them with hand. They require more effort and time during surgery.

Self-Retaining Retractors:

Self-retaining retractors do not require as much effort as handheld retractors. They allow the surgeon to perform the surgery better without being restricted to holding the retractor. They can easily be adjusted in one place while the surgeon performs the surgery freely.

Malleable Ribbon Retractors :

Malleable Ribbon Retractors are specifically made to retract intestines during surgery. It is usually made of a flat stainless body with malleable quality. Their flat malleable structure allows them to be fitted easily in the targeted area.

Gelpi Retractor with Speedlock:

Gelpi Retractors help the surgeon during spinal surgery in holding organs and tissues back from the surgical site. It comes with a finger ring handle that fits perfectly in hand and ensures a firm grip. Some Gelpi retractors also have speed locks which assist in fixing the retractor in one place. This tool is ideal for spinal surgery and provides more control to the researcher.

Weitlaner Retractors Sharp:

Weitlaner Retractor is ideal for use during a surgery that requires small and deep incision and dissection of soft tissues. It is a self-retaining retractor. It has curved shanks and sharp prongs for making the retraction process extra smooth.

Hohmann Retractor Wide Blade

It is an ideal instrument for the retraction of soft tissues. It features a smooth handle and a flat surface. The holes are used for carrying weights to non-slippery results. The wide blade in the front is used for retraction. It is a handheld retractor.

Gossett Abdominal Retractor 5 1/2"

Gosset Abdominal Retractor is a self-retaining surgical retractor specifically designed to hold tissues and organs back during abdominal surgery. The p-shaped lateral blades of this tool can be adjusted according to the surgeon’s requirement.

Balfour Abdominal Retractor Self Retaining Adjustable

Balfour’s abdominal retractor is also used for the same purpose as the previous one. It is a self-retaining and adjustable retractor. It is ideal for surgeons as it requires minimum effort and leaves the surgeon free to inspect the surgical site without hindrance. Surgeons commonly use this tool during veterinary laparotomy surgeries.

Senn Miller Retractor — Double Ended

This is a handheld tool for tissue retraction during veterinary surgical processes. It is commonly used for joint and minor bone surgeries. It can also be used during neck tissue dissection procedures. This tool has a slender body design with blunt or sharp prongs on the ends.

Finochietto Rib Spreaders

Finochietto Rib Spreaders are ideal for the retraction of ribs during surgery. They spread the ribs enough for the surgeon to perform surgery. They are usually made of stainless material. They are available in multiple sizes to meet the needs of veterinary surgeons.

Holzheimer Retractor

Holzheimer Retractor is also known as Heiss. It is used to retract tissues for inspecting small incisions during veterinary surgical procedures. It has a tweezers-like structure with a handheld mechanism and four prongs on each arm. Prongs ensure the smooth working of the instrument. They are available in multiple variations and styles.

Senn Miller Retractor — Double Ended

This is a handheld tool for tissue retraction during veterinary surgical processes. It is commonly used for joint and small bone surgeries. It can also be used during neck tissue dissection procedures. This tool has a slender body design with blunt or sharp prongs on the ends.

Finochietto Rib Spreaders

Finochietto Rib Spreaders are ideal for the retraction of ribs during surgery. They spread the ribs enough for the surgeon to perform surgery. They are usually made of stainless material. They are available in multiple sizes to meet the needs of veterinary surgeons.

Holzheimer Retractor

Holzheimer Retractor is also known as Heiss. It is used to retract tissues for inspecting small incisions during veterinary surgical procedures. It has a tweezers-like structure with a handheld mechanism and four prongs on each arm. Prongs ensure the smooth working of the instrument. They are available in multiple variations and styles.

Love it? This is where you can find one.

GerVetUSA Inc. is a perfect place for buying surgical equipment. You can find many different types of surgical equipment with unique features and characteristics to go along with your surgical needs on their website. Get ready to buy the high-quality, medical-grade, German forged, stainless equipment that will last a lifetime. Suppose you need a new innovative instrument that is not available anywhere in the market. In that case, you can contact GerVetUSA and leave it to their expert and qualified engineering staff to custom design a product especially for you!