Handgrip-detachable soft tissue retractor for microsurgery: Technical note

OBJECTIVE: We developed a modified soft tissue retractor for preventing pro blems that occur outside of the microscopic view field during microsurgery. INSTRUMENTATION AND OPERATIVE PROCEDURE: The characteristics of the modifie d soft tissue retractor are detachable handgrips, which can be easily relea sed and fixed with the manipulation of an equipped button, and a new lock a djuster, which changes its form and position so that it is withdrawn into a corner space between both arms in proportion to the open angle of the arms . The retractor is used with handgrips, as in the conventional method, unti l the microsurgery begins. When microsurgery begins, the handgrips are rele ased. We have used this retractor in 45 microsurgeries and 42 burr-hole sur geries, such as stereotactic or endoscopic operations. RESULTS: The detachable handgrips can resolve problems caused by handgrips and a lock lever in conventional retractors, such as interference with the free movement of the microsurgical operator's hands, restriction of operati ve approach angle or direction of the light axis of a microscope, and catch ing or tangling of instrument cords and thin thread. In addition to microsu rgery, it was beneficial in burr-hole surgeries, because operators can mani pulate instruments, such as a stereotactic arm or an endoscope, without hav ing to handle the retractor handgrips. CONCLUSION: Our modified soft tissue retractor is very useful for performin g steady and safe microsurgery.