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Tissue retractor (Minnesota, Austin, Seldin)
Also called: cheek retractor, Minnesota retractor, Austin retractor, Seldin retractor
A smooth, bent metal blade that holds the cheek, tongue or gum flap out of the way.
Retractors hold the cheek, tongue or a gum flap back so the surgeon can see and so soft tissue is protected from sharp instruments. The Minnesota retractor is broad and offset; the Austin is a right-angle retractor. Their edges are smooth, not sharp.
How to spot it
- Smooth, flat, bent metal blades with no sharp edges; may look like a periosteal elevator but the edge is blunt.
What it is used for
- Held by the assistant during surgical extractions and flap surgery.
Safety and care
- Critical item (it goes into soft tissue or touches bone): clean it, package it and heat-sterilize it after every patient.
Related
Sources: Majid M. Oral Surgery Lec. 9+10: Basic surgical instruments. Al-Mustansiriyah University