Senn Miller Retractor: What It Is For and Which Ends to Choose

A Senn retractor is a small, double ended hand held retractor. One end is a short, bent blade and the other is a rake of three prongs, so the person holding it turns it around instead of reaching for another instrument. It is used for shallow work: skin edges, small incisions, hand and foot surgery and plastic surgery. The Senn Miller we make is 16 cm long, with sharp or blunt prongs, plain or insulated.

Where does the Senn retractor come from?

The instrument is named after Nicholas Senn, a Swiss born American surgeon who became head of surgery at Rush Medical College in Chicago. Senn designed a number of surgical instruments, and Hektoen International's profile of Senn names the Senn retractor as the best known of them. A history of eponymous instruments by Meals and Meals, published in 2007 in The Journal of Hand Surgery, records that he was the first to describe the design in the literature.

The second name in Senn Miller and Senn Green marks a variant of the blade end. We have not found a reliable source for who Miller or Green were, so we describe the instruments by what they do.

What do the two ends do?

• The blade end is a short, flat blade bent at a right angle. It holds back skin and the tissue just below it with a smooth edge.
• The rake end has three curved prongs. Sharp prongs grip skin and hold it firmly. Blunt prongs hold tissue back without piercing it, which is safer near vessels, nerves and tendons.

Because both ends are on one instrument, an assistant can change from smooth to pronged retraction in a second.

Which Senn retractors can you order?

When does an insulated Senn make sense?

The insulated version has a non conductive coating so that stray current from an electrosurgical instrument used next to the retractor is not carried into the tissue it touches. If the field uses electrocautery close to the retractor, choose insulated. Check the coating before every use: a cracked or chipped coating no longer insulates, and the instrument should be taken out of use.

How is a Senn different from an Army Navy or a Langenbeck?

All three are hand held. The Senn is the smallest and the only one with a rake, so it suits shallow, delicate work. The Army Navy retractor is longer, with two flat blades, for deeper general retraction. The Langenbeck has one long handle and one blade, for deep, steady retraction. For hands free retraction, see our Gelpi and Weitlaner guide.

How should it be cleaned and inspected?

Rinse under warm water straight after use and brush between the prongs, where tissue collects. Check that all three prongs are the same length and that none is bent, because a bent sharp prong can tear tissue. Never leave it in saline. See our instrument care guide and the CDC guidance on cleaning instruments before sterilization.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Senn retractor sharp or blunt?

Both kinds exist. We make the Senn Miller with sharp prongs or with blunt prongs, plain or insulated.

What is a Senn retractor used for?

Shallow retraction of skin and the tissue just below it, in hand, foot, plastic and general surgery.

What is the difference between a Senn Miller and a Senn Green?

Both are double ended. We make the Senn Green shorter, at 14 cm, with a choice of 10 mm or 20 mm blade depth.

Can it be autoclaved?

Yes. The plain and insulated versions are both autoclavable. Inspect the insulation after each cycle.

Related instrument guides

• Army Navy retractor
• Langenbeck retractor uses and sizes
• Gelpi vs Weitlaner retractor
• Scleral depressor types

Order Senn retractors in pairs

Most trays carry Senn retractors in pairs, one sharp and one blunt. See the hooks and retractors range, or send us your list for a quote.