<p>Surgical retractors help surgeons and operating room professionals hold an incision or wound open during surgical procedures. They aid in holding back underlying organs or tissues, allowing doctors/nurses better visibility and access to the exposed area.</p>

<p>The right retractor and&nbsp;medical device lighting&nbsp;will bring comfort and light directly into the surgical cavity where it is needed. If you&#39;re a physician, surgical rotation can be strenuous on your arms and if you&#39;re a patient you want the best care.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Retractors play a crucial role in surgery. Today they come in&nbsp;different sizes, shapes and designs.&nbsp;Surgical retractor lighting could allow surgeons to better navigate in deep or minimally-open cavities. Better visibility during and at the end of surgery is beneficial to both the surgical team and patient.</p>

<p><strong>Most&nbsp;surgical instruments can be classified into 4 basic types:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<ol>
	<li>Cutting and Dissecting</li>
	<li>Clamping and Occluding</li>
	<li>Retracting and Exposing&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Grasping and Holding</li>
</ol>

<p>Given our expertise in self retaining retractors with integrated lighting,&nbsp;we thought it prevalent to discuss number three (Retracting and Exposing). And share some of the instruments used today with their similarities and differences.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are two broad categories of retractors:&nbsp;</p>

<p>1.<strong>&nbsp;Hand Retractors</strong>&nbsp;- (Manual)&nbsp;must be held by an assistant, a robot or the surgeon during a procedure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>2.<strong>&nbsp;Self Retaining Retractors</strong>&nbsp;- (Stay open on their own)&nbsp;have a screw, ratchet or some type of clamp to hold the tissue by itself. These allow the surgeon with two free hands<a href="https://www.wpiinc.com/product-listers/self-retaining-retractors/">.</a></p>

<p>Retractors fall under the &quot;Retracting and Exposing&quot; instruments used in the OR.&nbsp;The various types of retractors are usually named after the organ which they are used in conjunction with.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example, retractors which are used to retract an abdomen, are called<strong>&nbsp;</strong>abdominal&nbsp;retractors or<strong>&nbsp;</strong>self retaining abdominal retractors.&nbsp;If it&#39;s your skin being handled, there are specific&nbsp;skin&nbsp;retractors.&nbsp;</p>