University of Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Patricia Swierk

Raymond M Dunn

Kristen Billiar

Arriyan Samandar Dowlatshahi

Jacquelyne DiTroia

Andres Monterroso

Caroline Mazzola

A surgical appliance includes a pair of opposed prongs slideably disposed on an elongated locking track for retracting neurovascular and musculotendinous anatomical structures through an incision for affording access to deeper structures for inserting osteosynthesis hardware in the surgical treatment of a distal radius fracture or other surgical procedure. The prongs extend from retractors that traverse the locking track for opposed linear movement while recessed in a surgical working region accessible through an incision. The prongs terminate in curvatures defining a void that gather and engage the elongated anatomical structures on top of the skeletal members receiving the plate. The prongs draw back the tendons, blood vessels and nerve structures to allow unimpeded surgical access for manipulating and attaching skeletal and soft tissue members and/or appliances. The device retracts anatomical structures along a linear track for a fixed locking engagement maintaining a surgical gap without direct manual assistance.

Surgical retraction device

Growing community of inventors

Saugus, MA, United States of America

Patricia Swierk