RETRACTOR

Retractor

A retractor is a surgical instrument by which a surgeon can either actively separate the edges of a surgical incision or wound, or can hold back underlying organs and tissues, so that body parts under the incision may be accessed. The two are each available in many shapes, sizes, and styles. The general term retractor usually describes a simple handheld steel tool possessing a curved, hooked, or angled blade fitted with a comfortable handle, that when in place maintains the desired position of a given region of tissue. These simple retractors may be handheld, clamped in situ, or suspended at the end of a robotic arm. Retractors can also be self retaining ...

The above text is a snippet from Wikipedia: Retractor (medical)
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retractor

Noun

  1. One who, or that which, retracts.
  2. In breech-loading firearms, a device for withdrawing a cartridge shell from the barrel.
  3. A surgical instrument used to hold apart the edges of an incision or wound.
  4. A chess puzzle in which a number of moves are retracted and the solver is challenged to reach an alternate outcome.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: retractor
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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