Project Description: 

After an incision has been performed in a surgical procedure, retractors are used to hold the wound open while surgeons operate. There are several different retractors currently used during small-incision procedures. Each of these designs falls short of a complete solution for the surgeon’s needs for a variety of reasons. Hand-held retractors require assistance from a surgical assistant, which often overcrowds the surgical area and obstructs the surgeon’s field of view. Self-retaining devices retract only in one plane and are bulky. A self-retaining retractor for small incision surgeries (<5 cm) solves the problems of having only uni-axial retraction and overcrowding of the surgical field. A ball joint within a cart that holds the retractor facilitates customizable retraction of the tissue in the X, Y, and Z axes. The retractor carts hold retractors in place without human assistance and enable 360° access to the surgical site by traveling along the device’s ring that encircles the incision. Our device, Retractor 360, eliminates the need for hand-held retractors. The carts can hold retraction, illumination, and suction devices. Market research has shown that there is a $1.4 billion market for self-retaining retractors as of 2017 and growing at a rate of 3.2%, faster than the hand-held retractor market. Testing of Retractor 360 began with a virtual stress test using stainless steel 316L. After 20mmHg was applied to the model retractor, no load or tensile strength failure, nor plastic deformation was observed. A cadaveric leg was used as a model for small incision surgery. Device functionality was assessed qualitatively, along with the set-up time and stability through application of shear force to failure to hold set position. The results were within acceptable limits to move forward with the device.