“Hands Free” Femoral Retraction

The illustration posted in this example was created for the April 2013 issue of Orthopaedics feature and peer-reviewed article, Technical Trick: Simple, No-Hands Retraction for Lateral Approach to the Proximal Femur.

A simple technique is described that allows the orthopaedic surgeon to perform no-hands retraction during the lateral approach to the proximal femur during fixation of an intertrochanteric fracture with a sliding hip screw. All instruments remain sterile and within 6 inches of the surgical wound. Use of this technique is particularly useful in the event that a surgeon is operating with only one surgical assistant who may not be able to provide adequate assistance with retraction while concurrently preparing surgical instruments.