Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center Licenses Novel Deep Ocular Retractor for Unobstructed Surgical Access

Recently, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University released a public notice on the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. The hospital plans to transfer patent rights."A Novel Ophthalmic Deep Retractor Device"The relevant patent was transferred to Guangzhou Vesber Biotechnology Co., Ltd., with a transfer fee of RMBRMB 100,000. The inventor of this patented technology isYuan Zhaohui。

Image source: Official website of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University

This utility model isNovel Ophthalmic Deep Retractor DeviceSpecifically designed for deep ophthalmic surgeries such as retinal detachment, orbital foreign body removal, and tumor excision, it features an inverted trapezoidal, U-shaped hollow double-tooth structure that efficiently exposes the surgical field, blocks surrounding tissues, and allows unobstructed straddling of the extraocular muscles. The blunt, rounded hook tip with an arc that conforms to the eyeball prevents tissue damage. Integrated scales enable real-time intraoperative measurements, while the ergonomic Z-shaped handle significantly enhances surgical safety and operational efficiency.

Deep Ophthalmic Surgery (Retinal External Route Surgery, Orbital Foreign Body Removal, Orbital Tumor Excision, etc.)Extremely high requirements for surgical field exposure, tissue protection, and operational precision., Insufficient exposure of the surgical area and improper obstruction of surrounding tissues directly affect the safety of the surgery and the prognosis, which is a core problem that needs to be solved urgently in current ophthalmic clinics. At the same time, there are multiple shortcomings in existing deep retractor instruments and clinical solutions for ophthalmology, making it difficult to meet the demands of refined surgeries, forming a prominent market pain point.

From the perspective of clinical application, traditional ophthalmic deep retractors mainly feature a solid plate-like structure with a tapered end and an outward arc-shaped protrusion.There are obvious defects:First, the barrier area is too small to effectively separate the surgical area from the surrounding tissues, offering insufficient protection. Second, the solid hook plate occupies the central field of view during surgery, causing direct obstruction and interfering with operations. Third, the outwardly curved shape conflicts with the curvature of the eyeball, further compressing the deep surgical field space and increasing operational difficulty. Additionally, traditional retractors lack length markings, requiring the use of a ruler for measurements during surgery, leading to frequent instrument changes and adding extra steps and risks of interference.

For special cases where retinal holes are located beneath the extraocular muscles, the shortcomings of traditional solid retractors are more prominent. The retractor panel is easily obstructed by the rectus muscle, preventing full exposure of the surgical field in one attempt. This necessitates repeated adjustments of instruments, leading to prolonged operation time and increased procedural complexity. Not only does this reduce surgical efficiency, but it may also heighten the probability of tissue damage, making it difficult to meet the clinical demands of complex deep surgeries.

Existing improvements in ophthalmic retractors have yet to achieve a breakthrough."Field of View Occlusion, Tissue Adaptation, Precise Measurement, Safety Protection"The multiple bottlenecks. Most improvement plans only optimize the shape or material, failing to address the core issue of obstruction caused by the solid structure; some products do not adapt to the curvature based on the anatomical shape of the eyeball, easily causing tissue friction or damage; almost none integrate real-time intraoperative measurement scales, relying instead on external tools; the hook ends are mostly sharp-edged, posing safety hazards of puncturing ocular tissues. Overall, these factors show low compatibility with the clinical needs for efficiency, safety, and precision, restricting the enhancement of quality in deep ophthalmic surgeries.

Targeting the core pain points in ophthalmic deep surgery, such as obscured surgical field, insufficient tissue protection, cumbersome measurements, and difficulty in exposing the area under the extraocular muscles, this patent provides a novel ophthalmic deep retractor device. With structural innovation deeply matched to clinical needs, it overcomes the design limitations of traditional retractors through"Hollow Transparent Field, Inverted Trapezoidal Strong Barrier, Blunt Round Anti-Injury, Scale Precision Measurement"Integrated Design, and build a safer, more efficient, and adaptable solution.

This technology takes the leadAchieve full exposure and unobstructed operation of the deep surgical field, fundamentally solving the field-of-view interference problem caused by traditional solid retractors.Traditional retractors use a solid plate-like structure, which easily occupies the operating center and blocks key areas. In cases under the extraocular muscles, they cannot expose the surgical field in one go. This utility model adopts an enlarged inverted trapezoidal + U-shaped hollow double-tooth design at the tip, leaving the central area unobstructed. The double-tooth structure can directly straddle the rectus muscle, fully exposing the surgical field under the extraocular muscles in one step. This avoids repeated adjustments of the instrument, significantly simplifies the operation process, shortens the operation time, provides a broader view for deep surgeries, and ensures smoother manipulation.

The core advantage of the solution also lies in the dual enhancement of tissue safety and anatomical compatibility, minimizing the risk of surgical injury to the greatest extent.Traditional retractors have an outward arc that conflicts with the curvature of the eyeball, and their sharp tips can easily cause scratches or compression of ocular tissues. This patent designs the engraved part of the retractor as an inwardly curved structure, perfectly matching the physiological curvature of the eyeball. The tip features a blunt, rounded protrusion, allowing for safe deep tissue access without puncturing or scratching the surface or internal structures of the eye. It effectively separates the sclera from the periorbital fascia, expanding the surgical space, ensuring full protection of ocular tissues while achieving efficient exposure.

This technology also achieves an integrated upgrade of precise intraoperative measurement and ergonomic operation, comprehensively improving surgical efficiency.Traditional retractors lack scale markings, requiring additional rulers during surgery, frequent instrument switching, and causing operational interference. This device features synchronized scale lines and raised scale markings on the outer edge and inner side of the hollow groove, allowing real-time reading of depth and position data without the need to switch instruments for measurement, reducing interference between tools. Paired with a Z-shaped ergonomic handle, it offers comfortable grip and stable control. Combined with refined dimensional design, the overall instrument is slim, form-fitting, and highly adaptable, significantly enhancing the fluidity and precision of deep ophthalmic surgeries. It provides reliable instrumental support for complex procedures such as retinal external approaches, orbital foreign body removal, and tumor excision.

Driven by the continuous growth in demand for retinal external surgery, orbital surgery, etc.,Ophthalmic Deep RetractorAs a core microsurgical instrument, the market is characterized by international brands dominating the high-end segment and domestically produced instruments rapidly catching up. Existing products are still predominantly traditional solid structures, while innovative deep retractors with hollow transparent fields, straddling eye muscles, and built-in scales are still in the early stages of development.

Xinhua Surgical Instruments Co., Ltd. provides ophthalmic surgical instrument kits, including eye retractors., the product is characterized by standardized and mass production. The retractor component is a traditional solid style, suitable for conventional ophthalmic surgical procedures. The research and development progress focuses on improving the standard product line.

Shandong Biodon Medical Instrument Co., Ltd. Approved for Ophthalmic RetractorMade of medical-grade stainless steel, available in standard models such as straight hooks and curved hooks, used for traction and positioning of ocular tissues. The product features a traditional solid structure without hollow, scale, or straddle muscle designs, focusing on basic ophthalmic surgeries. It is advantageous in terms of cost-effectiveness and channel coverage, with its technical level at the stage of conventionally mature products.

The eyelid retractor under Shanghai Sanyou Surgical Instruments Co., Ltd. is a commonly used traction instrument in ophthalmology., covering specifications such as double-headed, straight-headed, and gun-shaped, suitable for superficial tissue retraction. The product is positioned for eyelid/anterior segment surgery and belongs to the basic clinical instruments of popularization type.