title: Self-retaining retractors in head and neck surgery.
abstract: The Norfolk and Norwich retractor is a vital tool in head and neck surgery. It is of great aid in training junior surgeons and has become an integral part of the standard neck dissection instrument set in our unit. This retractor enables good exposure of the carotid sheath, its atraumatic blunt tip retracting the carotid sheath without damage. It makes a single skin incision for neck exposure possible, rather than a Y, T or wine glass incision, avoiding a three-point junction, especially in the post-irradiated neck. In thyroid surgery it reduces the need for manual retraction thereby relieving the assistant surgeon and enhancing the quality of the learning experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. rasmayi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Stafford
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000295:instrumentation; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000295:instrumentation; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000295:instrumentation