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Richardson Retractor

The Richardson is the right-angle abdominal retractor: a short blade set at ninety degrees to the handle, with the lip curving back on itself. That returning lip is the working part — it hooks under the cut edge of the abdominal wall and holds it, so the retractor grips the wall rather than merely pressing against whatever is behind it.

It is the instrument reached for at the start of a laparotomy, when the wound edge itself is what needs holding. This collection covers the blade sizes and the three handle styles. Individual practices can order any instrument directly. Hospital procurement teams, distributors and buyers working to a tender or RFQ can contact our team for bulk pricing and quoted line items.

Filters

  • RICHARDSON APPY RETRACTOR LOOP HANDLE 9-1/4" 3/4"X2"
    $57.94 - $57.94
    $57.94
    $57.94 - $57.94
    $57.94

    Richardson Appendectomy Retractor - Loop Handle, 9-1/4", 3/4" x 2"

    Richardson Appy Retractor, Loop Handle, 9-1/4", 3/4" x 2" - A handheld surgical retractor designed for shallow to moderate tissue retraction, espec...

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    $57.94 - $57.94
    $57.94
    $57.94 - $57.94
    $57.94
  • RICHARDSON RETRACTOR HOLLOW HANDLE 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 9-1/2"
    $57.94 - $57.94
    $57.94
    $57.94 - $57.94
    $57.94

    Richardson Retractor - Hollow Handle, 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 9-1/2"

    With a blunt, atraumatic tip that is 2.5 mm in diameter, the 7½" DeBakey Vascular Dilator with a 2.5 mm tip is a specialized surgical tool that is ...

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    $57.94 - $57.94
    $57.94
    $57.94 - $57.94
    $57.94
  • Richardson Retractor's grip handle 3/4" x 2"
    $0.00 - $0.00
    $0.00
    $95.76
    $95.76 - $95.76
    $95.76

    Richardson Retractor - Grip Handle, 3/4" x 2"

    A trustworthy tool for accurate and deep tissue retraction during general and abdominal surgery. For improved comfort and control, this Richardson ...

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    $0.00 - $0.00
    $0.00
    $95.76
    $95.76 - $95.76
    $95.76
  • 10" Richardson Retractor 2 1/2" x 1 5/8"
    $0.00 - $0.00
    $0.00
    $99.79
    $99.79 - $99.79
    $99.79

    10" Richardson Retractor 2 1/2" x 1 5/8"

    With its 2 1/2-inch wide by 1 5/8-inch deep blade, this 10-inch Richardson retractor offers broad and efficient soft tissue retraction in deeper su...

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    $0.00 - $0.00
    $0.00
    $99.79
    $99.79 - $99.79
    $99.79

What This Collection Covers

  • Appendectomy pattern — 9-1/4" with a 3/4" x 2" blade, loop handle
  • 3/4" x 2" blade — grip handle
  • 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" x 9-1/2" — hollow handle, square blade
  • 10" with 2 1/2" x 1 5/8" blade — the widest blade here

Why the Lip Curves Back

A flat blade held against the inside of the abdominal wall relies entirely on the assistant's pull. Let go and it comes straight out.

The Richardson's returning lip catches the cut edge of the wall, so once it is seated the retractor is mechanically engaged. That means less force from the assistant for the same exposure, and much less drift over a long case. It is also why blade depth matters: too shallow a lip on a thick abdominal wall will not catch, and the instrument becomes a flat blade again.

How to Choose

Blade width. The narrow 3/4" blade is the appendectomy and small-incision size. 1-1/2" square is the general laparotomy blade. 2 1/2" holds a long wound edge in one placement.

Blade depth. Match the depth of the lip to the thickness of the abdominal wall. This is the dimension most often got wrong, and it is the one that decides whether the retractor holds itself or has to be held.

Handle style. A loop handle takes four fingers and gives the most pulling leverage — the usual choice where sustained traction is needed. A hollow handle is lighter, so the hand tires more slowly. A grip handle sits in the palm for direct control on shorter placements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Richardson retractor used for?
Retracting the abdominal wall during laparotomy and other open abdominal procedures. The right-angle blade with its returning lip hooks the cut edge of the wall.

What is an "appy" Richardson?
The appendectomy pattern — a narrower 3/4" x 2" blade for the smaller incision an appendectomy uses. It is the same instrument scaled down.

Richardson or Deaver — which do I need?
They do different jobs. The Richardson holds the abdominal wall at the wound edge. The Deaver has a long S-curved blade that reaches deep past the wall to hold organs aside. Most laparotomy trays carry both.

Which handle style should I choose?
Loop for maximum leverage on sustained traction, hollow for lightness over a long case, grip for direct control. The blade dimensions matter more than the handle.

Do you supply these individually or as sets?
Individually — every instrument here can be ordered on its own. Send us your list for a full set and our team will quote it line by line, with bulk pricing for distributors and hospital procurement.

Related categories: surgical retractors, Deaver retractors, Balfour abdominal retractors and hand-held retractors.