A hand-held retractor is held by a hand, not fixed to a frame. Its construction always reads the same way: a handle, a shank, a working end — blade or prongs — and an angle between the two.
This guide follows those elements in order, then the dimensions the catalogue designation writes: width, blade length, depth, angulation. The main named families then appear as combinations of those choices.
No procedure guidance here: only what an eye can verify on the instrument and on its reference.
Start with the silhouette
Five architectures, five MEDLANE product photographs shown at the same orientation and scale. Before any dimension, the silhouette already separates the families.
10 × 50 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 50 mm 210 mm · REF 18806
L 30 mm · P 75 mm
Ecarteur /manche Kocher 230 mm L 30 mm P 75 mm · REF 18813
43 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 240 mm 43.0 mm · REF 18603P
14 mm
Ecarteur /manche Desmarres 14 mm 160 mm · REF 18304P
Ecarteur /manche Love Coude 45° 190 mm · REF 19002P
Every dimension quoted here is the one carried by the catalogue designation of the reference shown. The exact configuration is always read from the reference and its documentation.
Look at the working end
Full instrument → observed zone → identifying detail
The same observation window and scale for all five references: only the instrument's position on its product plate changes. No image is distorted or enlarged beyond what its resolution allows.
- 01 — BLUNT-EDGED BLADE
- 02 — 90° BEND
- 01 — SMALL CURVED BLADE
- 02 — SLENDER SHAFT
- 01 — SOLID CONCAVE BLADE
- 02 — SERRATED HANDLE
- 01 — BROAD BLADE WITH TIP
- 02 — PERFORATED SHANK
- 01 — 4 BLUNT PRONGS
- 02 — SOLID HANDLE
The working end defines the retractor; the handle is only its grip.
Blade width and length
Four Langenbeck references at 210 mm: the overall length does not change, only the two blade dimensions written into the designation.
10 × 30 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 30 mm 210 mm · REF 18803
16 × 30 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 16 X 30 mm 210 mm · REF 18804
10 × 40 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 40 mm 210 mm · REF 18805
10 × 50 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 50 mm 210 mm · REF 18806
From a 2.8 to a 70 mm blade
Seven Hohmann references from the MEDLANE catalogue, from the narrowest to the widest blade. Blade width and overall length are both written into the designation.
2,8 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 150 mm 2,8 mm · REF 18501P
5 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 150 mm 5.0 mm · REF 18502P
8 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 220 mm 8.0 mm · REF 18601P
22 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 260 mm 22.0 mm · REF 18701P
33 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 280 mm 33.0 mm · REF 18704P
43 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 240 mm 43.0 mm · REF 18603P
70 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 240 mm 70.0 mm · REF 18604P
Depth, angulation, prongs
The MEDLANE catalogue also references the 90° angled and bayonet versions of this same family.
The number of prongs and whether they are blunt or sharp are written into the catalogue designation.
The main families
Ten families, as designated in the MEDLANE catalogue. The descriptions below are strictly morphological and dimensional.
10 × 50 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 50 mm 210 mm · REF 18806
18 × 13 mm
Ecarteur /manche Cushing 18 X 13 mm 250 mm · REF 18214P
14 mm
Ecarteur /manche Desmarres 14 mm 160 mm · REF 18304P
43 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 240 mm 43.0 mm · REF 18603P
L 30 mm · P 75 mm
Ecarteur /manche Kocher 230 mm L 30 mm P 75 mm · REF 18813
Ecarteur /manche Love Coude 45° 190 mm · REF 19002P
50 × 110 mm
Ecarteur /manche Merle D'aubigne 50X110 250 mm · REF 19107P
28 × 30 mm
Ecarteur /manche Richardson 28 X 30 240 mm · REF 19407
10 × 40 mm
Ecarteur /manche Plein Farab Trillat 10 X 40 220 mm · REF 18313
Ecarteur /manche Volkmann Griffes Manche 4 Griffes Mousse 160MM · REF 19809P
LANGENBECK
- Ring handle, blade bent at 90°
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 210 mm
- Blades 10 × 30, 16 × 30, 10 × 40, 10 × 50 mm
CUSHING
- Slender shank, small curved blade
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 200 and 250 mm
- Blades 8 mm, 14 × 11, 18 × 13, 22 × 15 mm
DESMARRES
- Serrated handle, solid concave blade
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 160 mm
- Widths 8, 14 and 18 mm
HOHMANN
- Broad blade with tip, perforated shank
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 150 to 280 mm
- Widths from 2.8 to 70 mm
KOCHER
- Ring handle, deep hook
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 230 mm
- Designation by width L and depth P
LOVE
- Slender shank, narrow end
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 190 and 210 mm
- Straight, 45° angled, 90° angled and bayonet versions
MERLE D'AUBIGNÉ
- Solid handle, broad angled blade
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 180 to 250 mm
- Blades from 12 × 35 to 50 × 110 mm
RICHARDSON
- Blade recurved into a channel
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 240 and 260 mm
- Blades 20 × 28, 28 × 30, 37 × 38 mm
FARAB TRILLAT
- Flat handle, solid blade
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 220 mm
- Blades 10 × 30 and 10 × 40 mm
VOLKMANN
- Solid handle, pronged end
- In the MEDLANE catalogue: 160 mm
- Blunt or sharp prongs, 2 to 4 prongs
The name designates an architecture; the reference specifies its dimensions.
The MEDLANE range
Langenbeck
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 30 mm 210 mm
REF · 18803· 10 × 30 mm· 210 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 16 X 30 mm 210 mm
REF · 18804· 16 × 30 mm· 210 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 40 mm 210 mm
REF · 18805· 10 × 40 mm· 210 mm
Ecarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 50 mm 210 mm
REF · 18806· 10 × 50 mm· 210 mm
Hohmann
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 150 mm 2,8 mm
REF · 18501P· 2,8 mm· 150 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 150 mm 5.0 mm
REF · 18502P· 5 mm· 150 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 220 mm 8.0 mm
REF · 18601P· 8 mm· 220 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 240 mm 43.0 mm
REF · 18603P· 43 mm· 240 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 260 mm 22.0 mm
REF · 18701P· 22 mm· 260 mm
Ecarteur /manche Hohmann 280 mm 33.0 mm
REF · 18704P· 33 mm· 280 mm
Cushing
Ecarteur /manche Cushing 8 mm 200 mm
REF · 18201· 8 mm· 200 mm
Ecarteur /manche Cushing 14 X 11 mm 250 mm
REF · 18213P· 14 × 11 mm· 250 mm
Ecarteur /manche Cushing 18 X 13 mm 250 mm
REF · 18214P· 18 × 13 mm· 250 mm
Ecarteur /manche Cushing 22 X 15 mm 250 mm
REF · 18215P· 22 × 15 mm· 250 mm
Desmarres
Ecarteur /manche Desmarres 8 mm 160 mm
REF · 18301P· 8 mm· 160 mm
Ecarteur /manche Desmarres 14 mm 160 mm
REF · 18304P· 14 mm· 160 mm
Ecarteur /manche Desmarres 18 mm 160 mm
REF · 18306P· 18 mm· 160 mm
Kocher
Ecarteur /manche Kocher 230 mm L 18 mm P 40 mm
REF · 18811· L 18 mm · P 40 mm· 230 mm
Ecarteur /manche Kocher 230 mm L 30 mm P 75 mm
REF · 18813· L 30 mm · P 75 mm· 230 mm
Love
Ecarteur /manche Love Droit 190 mm
REF · 19001P· 190 mm· Straight
Ecarteur /manche Love Coude 45° 190 mm
REF · 19002P· 190 mm· 45° angled
Merle d'Aubigné
Ecarteur /manche Merle D'aubigne 12X 35 180 mm
REF · 19101P· 12 × 35 mm· 180 mm
Ecarteur /manche Merle D'aubigne 20X 90 250 mm
REF · 19104P· 20 × 90 mm· 250 mm
Ecarteur /manche Merle D'aubigne 50X110 250 mm
REF · 19107P· 50 × 110 mm· 250 mm
Richardson
Ecarteur /manche Richardson 20 X 28 240 mm
REF · 19406· 20 × 28 mm· 240 mm
Ecarteur /manche Richardson 28 X 30 240 mm
REF · 19407· 28 × 30 mm· 240 mm
Ecarteur /manche Richardson 37 X 38 240 mm
REF · 19408· 37 × 38 mm· 240 mm
Farab Trillat, Volkmann
Ecarteur /manche Plein Farab Trillat 10 X 30 220 mm
REF · 18311· 10 × 30 mm· 220 mm
Ecarteur /manche Plein Farab Trillat 10 X 40 220 mm
REF · 18313· 10 × 40 mm· 220 mm
Ecarteur /manche Volkmann Griffes Manche 4 Griffes Mousse 160MM
REF · 19809P· 160 mm· 4 prongs blunt
Ecarteur /manche Volkmann Griffes Manche 2 Griffes Pointu 160MM
REF · 19812P· 160 mm· 2 prongs sharp
Can you recognise them?
Four MEDLANE hand-held retractors, four clearly different architectures. Identify each one from what is visible on the photograph.
REVEAL THE ANSWERS
- A — LangenbeckEcarteur /manche Langenbeck 10 X 50 mm 210 mm · REF 18806
- B — HohmannEcarteur /manche Hohmann 240 mm 43.0 mm · REF 18603P
- C — DesmarresEcarteur /manche Desmarres 14 mm 160 mm · REF 18304P
- D — VolkmannEcarteur /manche Volkmann Griffes Manche 4 Griffes Mousse 160MM · REF 19809P
Every dimension quoted here is the one carried by the catalogue designation of the reference shown. The exact configuration is always read from the reference and its documentation.
Finding the right reference, not just the right name
MEDLANE is a French company specializing in surgical instruments, based in Genas near Lyon, ISO 13485 certified for design, production management and distribution. Every reference in this guide links to its full catalogue entry.
Continue exploring instrumentation
- Guide no. 04Needle holders
Silhouette, locking mechanism and jaws, on real references.
- Guide no. 03Dissecting forceps
Silhouette, tips and the Adson, Semkin, Gerald and DeBakey architectures.
- Guide no. 06Kerrison & disc rongeurs
Two spinal resection architectures, distinguished plate by plate.