Modified spinal retractors

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Modified spinal retractors

A. L. Macafee The Withers Orthopaedic Centre, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast THE STANDARD Charnley Laminectomy Retractors (Thackray Ltd Instrument Catalogue V2893 and Downs Catalogue JH 14541 W and 14542Y) have 2 and 2.5 in deep retractor blades respectively. In some patients, the wound is so deep that these standard retractors have been found inadequate and a need arose to lengthen the retractor blades. A 3.5 in deep blade was produced to fill this clinical requirement and, over a period of several years, a set of these retractors has been in use with continued satisfaction by a variety of surgeons at Musgrave Park Hospital. The set on the right was manufactured out of stainless steel in the Author’s garage! Acknowledgement I am obliged to

Mr Norman Irvine, Chief Clinical Photographer at the Ulster Hospital, for the illustration. This instrument is now available from T. J. Kirkpatrick & Son Ltd,

Stainless Steel Manufacturers, Kiltonga Industrial Estate, Belfast Road, Newtownards, Co. Down BT23, Northern Ireland.

forreprints should be addressed to: Dr A. L. Macafee, The Withers Orthopaedic Stockman’s Lane, Belfast BT9 759, Northern Ireland.

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Centre, Musgrave Park Hospital,