Ragnell retractors with their deep, narrow blades for hand-held retraction of small wounds are quite popular, but rather common fare. A closer look at the Buxton selection reveals the two available versions each offer subtle departures from the ordinary.

One model incorporates a round, knurled handle. It rotates easily in the hand and the raised surface provides assuring tactile feedback that the instrument is firmly set in the operator's hands.

Our second pattern features an oval handle. While many other instrument companies supply this product with an elliptical handle, the major dimension of their oval is co-planar with the central axis of the blades. This is fine for holding the retractor as you would a scalpel, but Buxton's Ragnell Retractor incorporates the suggestion of Dr. Harold Kleinert that the oval be rotated 90°. As such, the instrument can be grasped with thumb or first finger resting on a broader, more comfortable instrument surface.

Hand & Footnotes, Vol. 1, No. 3