Cardiovascular & Cardiothoracic Retractors
Cardiovascular and cardiothoracic retractors are used to hold back tissue and structures during heart and chest surgery, giving the surgeon the exposure needed to access the heart, great vessels, or lungs. Because the working field in cardiac and thoracic surgery is deep and surrounded by critical structures, these retractors are shaped for specific anatomical tasks rather than general-purpose use.
What's in This Collection
The Cleland Valve Leaflet Retractor is used during heart valve surgery to hold back a valve leaflet, giving the surgeon a clear view of the valve annulus and surrounding structures during repair or replacement. The Allison Lung Tissue Retractor is used in thoracic surgery to retract lung tissue, providing access during lobectomy, resection, or other intrathoracic procedures. The Tudor Edwards Retractor (203mm) is a rib retractor used in thoracotomy to hold the ribs apart, creating the working space needed for cardiothoracic access.
Related Instruments
For the broader cardiovascular tray, pair these retractors with Cardiovascular Clamps for vessel control, Cardiovascular Rib Spreaders for chest wall exposure, and Cardiovascular Rib Shears for rib resection when needed. Cardiovascular Dissecting Forceps and Cardiovascular Scissors round out the tissue-handling instruments used alongside retraction. Browse the full Cardiovascular Instruments catalog for the complete range.
If you're looking for ophthalmic retractors and depressors — scleral, eyelid, or speculum-type instruments — those are covered separately under Eye Retractors and Speculum and Retractors & Depressors in the Ophthalmology Instruments section.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Tudor Edwards retractor used for?
A Tudor Edwards retractor is a rib retractor used during thoracotomy to hold the ribs apart, creating the surgical access needed for cardiothoracic procedures.
What is a Cleland retractor used for?
A Cleland valve leaflet retractor is used during heart valve surgery to hold back a valve leaflet, giving the surgeon clear visualization of the annulus during repair or replacement.
What's used to retract lung tissue during thoracic surgery?
An Allison lung tissue retractor is used to retract lung tissue during thoracic procedures such as lobectomy or lung resection, providing the access needed to work within the chest cavity.
Why do some products on this page look like eye instruments?
Several items currently listed in this collection — scleral depressors, eyelid retractors, and eye specula — are ophthalmic instruments and appear to be miscategorized here rather than genuinely cardiovascular; they're covered separately in the Ophthalmology Instruments section of the catalog.
