Lighted (fiber-optic) breast retractor
A surgical retractor with a smooth, curved blade connected via a fiber-optic cable to a light source, which directly illuminates the depth of the breast pocket while retracting tissue.
How it is used
Used in breast augmentation and reduction (and in mastectomy/reconstruction) to retract tissue while simultaneously illuminating the depth of the implant pocket, improving hemostasis and dissection precision through small incisions.
Clinical tip
Always use the fiber-optic cable diameter recommended by the manufacturer (e.g., 3.0 mm): a cable wider than the connector generates heat at the junction, and burns from contact with skin or drapes have been documented.
Sources
This entry is part of the Instriq catalog, researched and written per specialty from real web research -- never generated or invented without verification -- and reviewed skeptically and independently before publication. How this catalog is written.