Fomon Ball End Retractor, 2 Blunt Prongs

What the fomon ball end retractor is

The fomon ball end retractor holds nasal tissue back on two blunt prongs that finish in smooth rounded balls. It is named after Samuel Fomon, whose patterns run through most nasal sets.

The ball is the argument. A point holds tissue by entering it and a ball holds tissue by pressing against it, spreading the same pull over a curved face instead of concentrating it on a puncture. On mucosa, on alar cartilage and on nasal skin that is already thin, that is the difference between moving tissue and tearing it.

Two balls rather than one give balanced exposure, so the tissue comes back evenly instead of pivoting around a single point of contact.

Key design features of this ball end retractor

Four features, and the first two are the same idea seen twice.

• Ball tips. A ball end retractor presses rather than pierces, which is what makes it atraumatic.
• Two blunt prongs. Balanced exposure, with no pivot point.
• Nothing sharp anywhere. Every surface that touches tissue is rounded.
• Flat handle. Keeps both balls in one plane against the tissue.

Fomon ball end retractor size

What our record carries is the configuration, not a measurement.

No prong spread, ball diameter or overall length is stated here, because our record holds none of them. Other catalogs publish figures of their own and they are not repeated as ours. Ask and it will be measured.

Where a blunt prong nasal hook is used

A blunt prong nasal hook is chosen by the tissue rather than by the procedure.

What the balls hold, and what they do not

A blunt instrument is defined by what it refuses to do, so both halves are set out here.

How the fomon retractor compares with the others

Four of the rows below are our own. The fomon retractor is the blunt one in a group that is otherwise all sharp points, which makes the choice between them unusually simple.

Materials and finish

Made from high quality medical grade stainless steel, satin finished so the operating light does not reflect off the shaft into the surgeon eye. The steel itself is made to a German specification. The balls are polished rather than left as formed, because a ball carrying a machining mark is a point again and the whole pattern depends on it not being one.

Care and sterilization

Clean with a soft brush under running water, working both balls, the space between the prongs and the junction of prongs and shaft where tissue collects, then rinse in deionized water and dry fully before autoclaving. Store so nothing rests across the tips. Run a gloved finger over each ball before the instrument goes back into the set: if you can feel an edge, the tissue will feel it too.

Ordering and wholesale

Adas Instruments makes this pattern to order and supplies hospitals, surgical centers and distributors across the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia. 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 ball end retractor?

A retractor whose working tips finish in smooth spheres instead of points. It holds tissue by pressing against it rather than by entering it, which is what lets it be used on mucosa and on thin nasal skin that a sharp prong would go straight through.

Why two prongs instead of one?

Balance. A single ball pressed against tissue lets that tissue pivot around the point of contact. Two balls hold the same tissue in its plane and spread the load across both, which matters more with a blunt tip than with a sharp one because a ball cannot anchor.

When would a sharp hook be better?

Whenever the tissue has to be held against real tension. A ball slides off before it tears anything, which is its safety feature and also its limit. For a skin flap under load take a sharp pronged pattern that will anchor.

Is an insulated version available?

Insulated variants of this pattern exist in the wider market for use alongside electrosurgery. Our own record does not carry one, so it is not offered on this page. Ask if you need it and it will be quoted.

What is it used on?

Nasal mucosa, alar cartilage, thin nasal skin and mucous membranes, in rhinoplasty, septoplasty and facial reconstructive surgery. Anywhere the instruction is to move the tissue and leave no mark on it.

Related products and categories

Buyers who order the fomon ball end retractor usually order alongside it the millard cottle thumb hook, the swivel ring double hook and the gruber columella retractor with weight. The whole family sits in hooks and retractors, and this pattern is also listed under rhinoplasty instruments.