Lahey Retractor, 18 cm – 15 × 3 mm Blade

Blade depth is what makes this retractor specific. At 3 mm it barely projects, which is exactly right for a space developed between two adjacent structures rather than down into a cavity — the thyroid bed opened between the strap muscles being the classic example. A deeper blade in that position does not hold more; it simply presses on whatever lies behind the plane the surgeon is trying to keep open.

The 15 mm width then does the holding. Along a plane like this the retraction needs to be broad and shallow: enough width to hold a useful length of muscle edge aside, with almost no depth so the instrument stays within the plane. At 18 cm the shaft carries that blade to moderate depth in a neck or abdominal wound while the handle remains outside, which is where a retractor held for long stretches needs to sit.

Specifications