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A “star” retractor in head and neck surgery
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 50 (2012) e113–e114
Technical note
A “star” retractor in head and neck surgery Richard Burnham ∗ , Alan Attard a , Gary Walton a University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Clifford Bridge Road, Walsgrave, Coventry CV2 2DX, United Kingdom Accepted 15 September 2011 Available online 11 January 2012
Keywords: Retractor; Head and neck surgery
Fig. 1. Various hook designs.
The Lone Star RetractorTM (Lone Star Medical Products, Stafford, UK) has its origins in anorectal surgery as a specially designed, single use retractor ring using elastic stays that provide optimal exposure while taking up the minimum of room.1 The specially designed stays come in a number of different ergonomic designs including a “rake”, “blunt hook”, and “sharp hook” (Fig. 1). They were designed for the friable anal mucosa and are gentle enough to use in the head and neck. We have found in our surgical practice, and particularly in neck dissections, that these hooks provide ideal ∗
Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 2476 964000. E-mail address: [email protected] (R. Burnham). a Tel.: +44 2476 964000.
Fig. 2. Neck dissection with Lone StarTM hooks in place as retractors.
0266-4356/$ – see front matter © 2011 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.bjoms.2011.09.027
e114
R. Burnham et al. / British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 50 (2012) e113–e114
retraction, protect the soft tissue, and free-up assistants in theatre (Fig. 2). The system allows an element of give through the use of the elasticated stays not found in standard stay sutures, and they do not lose concentration and move like their human counterparts. They can be attached to the drapes with a clip, allowing them to be repositioned with great ease, which facilitates access. The retractors are similar to the “fish hooks”, which were previously employed so successfully by many surgeons, but as they are a manufactured and sterile product they are more acceptable to modern day theatre policy.
We encourage all readers to try these retractors, which we have found to be remarkably versatile, effective, and practical when compared with other more conventional methods of retraction. Reference 1. Lone Star Retractor SystemTM . Available from URL: http://www. coopersurgical.com/ourproducts/surgprod/gynsurgprod/ surgsitemangmnt/lonestaretract/elasticstayhks/Pages/csland.aspx?LC= Elastic%20Stay%20Hooks.
British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 50 (2012) e113–e114
Technical note
A “star” retractor in head and neck surgery Richard Burnham ∗ , Alan Attard a , Gary Walton a University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Clifford Bridge Road, Walsgrave, Coventry CV2 2DX, United Kingdom Accepted 15 September 2011 Available online 11 January 2012
Keywords: Retractor; Head and neck surgery
Fig. 1. Various hook designs.
The Lone Star RetractorTM (Lone Star Medical Products, Stafford, UK) has its origins in anorectal surgery as a specially designed, single use retractor ring using elastic stays that provide optimal exposure while taking up the minimum of room.1 The specially designed stays come in a number of different ergonomic designs including a “rake”, “blunt hook”, and “sharp hook” (Fig. 1). They were designed for the friable anal mucosa and are gentle enough to use in the head and neck. We have found in our surgical practice, and particularly in neck dissections, that these hooks provide ideal ∗
Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 2476 964000. E-mail address: [email protected] (R. Burnham). a Tel.: +44 2476 964000.
Fig. 2. Neck dissection with Lone StarTM hooks in place as retractors.
0266-4356/$ – see front matter © 2011 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.bjoms.2011.09.027
e114
R. Burnham et al. / British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 50 (2012) e113–e114
retraction, protect the soft tissue, and free-up assistants in theatre (Fig. 2). The system allows an element of give through the use of the elasticated stays not found in standard stay sutures, and they do not lose concentration and move like their human counterparts. They can be attached to the drapes with a clip, allowing them to be repositioned with great ease, which facilitates access. The retractors are similar to the “fish hooks”, which were previously employed so successfully by many surgeons, but as they are a manufactured and sterile product they are more acceptable to modern day theatre policy.
We encourage all readers to try these retractors, which we have found to be remarkably versatile, effective, and practical when compared with other more conventional methods of retraction. Reference 1. Lone Star Retractor SystemTM . Available from URL: http://www. coopersurgical.com/ourproducts/surgprod/gynsurgprod/ surgsitemangmnt/lonestaretract/elasticstayhks/Pages/csland.aspx?LC= Elastic%20Stay%20Hooks.