Retractors & Spreaders

Retractors & Spreaders Hold the Operation Field Open

Retractors and spreaders are instruments that are used to create access to and hold the surgical area open during invasive surgery, e.g., plastic surgery or thoracic surgery. While hooks are instruments that must be held actively or via a retractor system during surgery, spreaders are equipped with a locking mechanism, which holds the area open without outside assistance.

Sharp & Blunt Retractors Based on Tissue Type

For resilient tissue, retractors with pointed prongs can be used, such as the Volkmann Retractor - Sharp. The sharp prongs provide a secure hold and are available with one to six prongs, depending on the size of the wound.

While sharp-pronged instruments offer optimal grip, their pointed ends can cause tissue trauma. For handling delicate or highly vascular tissue, retractors with blunt prongs are used instead.

Examples include the Volkmann wound hooks with blunt prongs or the Weitlaner blunt self-retaining retractor. The Weitlaner retractor features a locking mechanism, allowing it to hold tissue securely and facilitate a more convenient surgical procedure.

Retractors & Spreaders as Single-Use Instruments

Surgery retractors and spreaders are not only available as reusable surgical instruments, but also as single-use surgical instruments. They are clearly labelled as disposable surgical instruments and reduce the risk of cross-contamination during surgery. Moreover, the surgical steel instruments are very economical as there are no additional costs for reprocessing.

In this surgical category, you will find the Kilner Surgical Retractor, which combines two medical retractors in one. On one end, the double-ended instrument has a Langenbeck retractor and on the other end, there is a rake retractor. As a result, the surgical instrument is suitable for use on both sensitive and less sensitive tissue during surgery.

Further operating theatre supplies, instrument sets, sterilisation devices, and products for aesthetic medicine can be found in the convenient overview of our Instruments category.

Would you like to buy a stainless steel retractor or spreader and have questions about the surgical products in our online shop? Our competent customer advisors will be happy to advise you via telephone, e-mail or live chat.