Desmarres Lid Retractor, 10 mm 12 mm and 14 mm, Insulated Shaft Option

What the desmarres lid retractor is

The desmarres lid retractor is a handheld retractor with a curved saddle shaped blade that follows the contour of the eye, and that single shape is doing two jobs at once.

It turns the eyelid back far enough to work behind it. At the same time the curve keeps the blade off the cornea and keeps the eyelashes out of the field, which is why a flat blade has never worked for this job.

Our own record carries three blade widths, 10 mm, 12 mm and 14 mm, and an insulated shaft option. Those four choices are the ordering decision, and the insulated one exists for a specific operation rather than as a general upgrade.

Key design features of this desmarres retractor

Four features, and three of them are ordering choices on our own record.

• A curved saddle shaped blade. It matches the globe, so it everts the lid without pressing into the eye underneath.
• A blunt smooth blade edge. The instrument is held against conjunctiva and lid margin for minutes at a time. Nothing on it is allowed to be sharp.
• Three blade widths. 10 mm, 12 mm and 14 mm, from our own Select Size attribute.
• An insulated shaft option. From our own Tip options attribute, for work done with electrosurgery close to the globe.

Desmarres eyelid retractor sizes, and what the size numbers mean

This is the fullest size table in the set, because this is the product with the fullest attribute data behind it.

Read the sixth row carefully. OUR record carries millimeters: 10, 12 and 14. Other catalogues number the same instrument 0, 1 and 2, where 0 is 10 to 11 mm, 1 is 12 to 13 mm and 2 is 14 to 15 mm. So our three widths land on those three numbers, and that mapping is given here so a buyer working from a set list can order the right one. The millimeter is ours. The number is theirs.

Where an eyelid retractor of this pattern is used

Two specialties, and one of the procedures is the reason the insulated version exists.

What the blade holds, and what it protects

There is no instrument on this site where the protecting column matters more. The cornea is a millimeter from the blade for the whole procedure.

How this insulated desmarres retractor compares with the rest of the family

Three of the seven rows are our own pages, and the last two rows are this same product in a different width.

Materials and finish

Made from high quality medical grade stainless steel, satin finished so the operating microscope light and the overhead lamp do not come back off a curved blade into the surgeon eye. The steel itself is made to a German specification. The blade edge is rolled and polished, and on the insulated version the coating is applied along the shaft and is checked for continuity, because a coating with a gap in it is worse than no coating at all.

Care and sterilization

Clean with a soft brush under running water, working along the concave face of the blade where tissue and fluid sit. Rinse in deionized water and dry fully before autoclaving. On the insulated version inspect the coating every time and take the instrument out of service at the first chip or crack: the whole reason it exists is an unbroken layer. Store on a rack or in a tray with the blade protected, because the edge that touches an eye has to stay perfect.

Ordering and wholesale

Adas Instruments makes the desmarres lid retractor to order and supplies hospitals, surgical centers and distributors across the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia. State the blade width, 10 mm, 12 mm or 14 mm, and whether you want the insulated shaft. Bulk and wholesale pricing is available, and instruments held on backorder ship in 10 to 12 working days. Every instrument carries a three year replacement warranty against manufacturing defects. Certifications: CE. Production is controlled under an ISO 13485 quality management system.

Frequently asked questions

What is a desmarres lid retractor used for?

Holding and everting the eyelid so the surgeon can work behind it or look under it. It is used for eyelid eversion, blepharoplasty, ptosis repair, entropion and ectropion surgery, chalazion surgery and ophthalmic examination.

How do you use a desmarres lid retractor?

The curved blade goes against the outside of the lid at the margin and the lid is rolled back over it, so the blade ends up behind the lid with the concave face toward the globe. The curve holds the lashes down and away. It is pulled, not pushed, and the pull is along the plane of the lid rather than into the orbit.

Which desmarres lid retractor size should I order?

Our record carries 10 mm, 12 mm and 14 mm. The 12 mm is the usual adult width. The 10 mm is for a narrow palpebral aperture or a pediatric lid. The 14 mm is for an adult upper lid where a narrower blade will not reach the fornix. In catalogues that number rather than measure, those are sizes 0, 1 and 2.

When do I need the insulated version?

When electrosurgery is in the field, which in practice means transconjunctival blepharoplasty and similar lid work done with cautery. A bare steel shaft held against the lid, a millimeter from the globe, is a path for current and heat into tissue that was only being retracted. The insulated shaft removes that path.

Is a desmarres lid retractor the same as a Jaeger lid plate?

No, and it is a useful distinction. The Desmarres RETRACTS: it pulls the lid back and holds it there. The Jaeger plate SUPPORTS: it slides behind the lid and gives a firm surface to cut or inject against. They are often on the same tray and they are not substitutes for each other.

Related products and categories

Buyers who order the desmarres lid retractor usually look next at the kawamoto double ended insulated retractor, the freeman flap retractor and the volkman retractor. The whole family sits in hooks and retractors, and this pattern is also listed under blepharoplasty instruments.