Israel Retractor, 24.1 cm – Blunt Prongs

Most rake retractors are short and sharp — built to hold a skin edge at the surface. This one is long and blunt, which is an unusual combination and a deliberate one. At 24.1 cm it works at the depth of an abdominal or orthopaedic exposure, and at that depth the tissue being held is muscle and fascia in bulk rather than a defined edge. Blunt prongs hook and hold that bulk by shape; sharp ones would simply pass through it without gaining any more purchase.

Blunt also matters because a deep retractor is often held by an assistant who cannot see the prong tips. A sharp prong out of sight and under traction can migrate into something it should not be in; a blunt one presses and slips rather than penetrating. Several prongs spread the load across a wide front, so the exposure is held evenly instead of tenting at one or two points.

Specifications