Dunn Dautrey Lateral Retractor, 13.5 cm – 6 × 13 mm

A 6 × 13 mm blade is small even by facial standards, and that is the point of a lateral retractor. Approaching a structure from the side means working through a corridor bounded by bone on one side and soft tissue on the other, with no scope to widen it — the retractor has to fit the space that exists rather than create one. A larger blade cannot be seated flat and ends up levering against the bony wall.

At 13.5 cm the instrument is short, which suits a lateral approach where the target lies close beneath the surface but at an awkward angle. Length would add nothing but a handle projecting across the field. Because the blade bears against tissue held under steady tension throughout, the polished stainless surface matters as much as the dimensions: it distributes pressure and releases without dragging when the retractor is repositioned.

Specifications