Development and Evaluation of Expandable Brain Retractor with Tunable Expansion Ratio
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Date
2022-01
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Trends in Biomaterial and Artificial Organs
Abstract
The brain tumor treatment is challenging and requires highly skilled neurosurgeon. These tumors are surgically excised by isolating them from normal tissue using surgical retractors. The retractors provide maximal and safe exposure of the surgical field to the surgeon, which is evolved from the handheld retraction system. The majority of brain surgeries use Leyla and Greenberg retract. This traditional retractor induced ischemia, edema and parenchymal trauma are well known, which result in brain tissue injury in up to 29% of cases. The authors conceptualized a single unit circumferential 360-degree expansion mechanism to reduce brain injuries. Further, the surface area is optimized to keep brain tissue retraction pressure within the limit of Leyla retractor. The design equations are derived for smooth manufacturing and a simple locking mechanism maintains retractor to certain deployed diameter in a stable and steady manner. The device is prototyped, and the concept is verified against analytical models. It is conceived as a cost-effective, efficient, and easily manufacturable concept using design equations. The findings demonstrate the advantage of the proposed retractor over existing retractors. The retractor aims to provide optimal retraction pressure, facile handling, universal size, and workspace between the retractor flanges. Its applications may also extend to other surgical specialities and visceral organ sites.
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Prajapati AK, Vilanilam GC, Muraleedharan C.V. Development and Evaluation of Expandable Brain Retractor with Tunable Expansion Ratio. Trends in Biomaterial and Artificial Organs. 2022;36(1):21-26