Kocher Retractor
Hand-held retractor of the Kocher pattern, made with a blunt blade or with sharp hooks, used to hold back tissue during open surgery.
Reusable hand instrument
About the Kocher Retractor
"Kocher retractor" is a catalogue name used for more than one hand-held retractor. In general-surgery catalogues it usually means a retractor with a broad, curved blade on a handle (often a finger-ring handle), offered in many blade sizes. Orthopaedic catalogues also use the name for sharp or blunt hook retractors (bone hooks).
Either form is a non-self-retaining instrument: an assistant holds it in place to draw back the wound edge, muscle or organ. Blade versions are made in a wide range of widths and depths. Hook versions come with sharp or blunt tips.
Because the name covers different designs, the product code or drawing matters more than the name when matching an existing set. The Kocher-Langenbeck is a separate, related pattern.
Product reference: Rigor Instruments — official product page. The listed company is shown as a source; check the catalogue for its role as manufacturer or supplier.
Common uses
- Abdominal and general surgery
- Retraction of muscle and soft tissue
- Orthopaedic surgery (hook versions)
Variations, sizes & configurations
Shapes
- Curved
- Straight
Jaw, tip & blade configurations
- Sharp
- Serrated
- Blunt
Specifications vary by manufacturer. Confirm exact dimensions and patterns in the manufacturer’s catalogue.
Catalogue listings from manufacturers
15 items listed in manufacturers’ own online catalogues, with sizes and model numbers as published. Check the exact item on the manufacturer’s page before ordering.
Companies offering this instrument
Rigor Instruments
Sialkot, Pakistan
Sialkot surgical instrument manufacturer with its own factory, offering spine, laparoscopy and obstetrics instruments and custom orders.
Shown only where the company’s own catalogue or website lists this instrument.
Further reading
- How to Read a Surgical Instrument CataloguePatterns, lengths, tips, locks, materials and finishes: the catalogue terms buyers need to compare instrument offers like for…
- Stainless Steel Grades and Finishes for Surgical InstrumentsMartensitic vs austenitic steel, ISO 7153-1 and ASTM F899, tungsten carbide inserts, titanium, and satin vs mirror finishes…
- How Surgical Instruments Are Made: From Forging to PassivationA step-by-step look at how reusable surgical instruments are made: steel choice, forging, machining, heat treatment, grinding, polishing…
Questions about the Kocher Retractor
What is a Kocher Retractor used for?
Hand-held retractor of the Kocher pattern, made with a blunt blade or with sharp hooks, used to hold back tissue during open surgery.
Which configurations of the Kocher Retractor are documented?
This guide records these variations, shapes: Curved and Straight; jaw, tip or blade: Sharp, Serrated and Blunt. See variations, sizes & configurations for the full list.
Where can I find catalogue listings for the Kocher Retractor?
15 items matching this pattern are listed from manufacturers’ own online catalogues: Rigor Instruments (7), Lenox Surgical Instruments (6), Hexamed (1) and Sklar Surgical Instruments (1). The catalogue table gives each model number and size as published, with a link to the official product page.
Which companies offer the Kocher Retractor?
Companies whose own catalogues list the Kocher Retractor include Rigor Instruments. Check the exact pattern and size with the company.
Which instruments are related to the Kocher Retractor?
Other retractors in this directory include Balfour Abdominal Retractor, Cloward Retractor, Deaver Retractor and Ribbon Retractor. See all retractors.
What should I check when sourcing retractors?
- Pattern and size: compare the blade or prong size and depth and the handle style with the supplier’s catalogue drawing or a sample. For the Kocher Retractor this page records Curved and Straight shapes and Sharp, Serrated and Blunt tips.
- Material: confirm the exact steel grade or alloy in the supplier’s documentation, such as the material specification or certificate.
- Finish and any coating, as stated by the supplier.
- Regulatory marking or registration required in your target market (see medical device certifications).
- Reprocessing: the cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation instructions in the manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU).
Sources
- rigorinstruments.com/general-surgical-instruments/kocher-retractor-ri-s-3128/
- rigorinstruments.com/general-surgical-instruments/kocher-retractor-2-ri-s-3056/
- rigorinstruments.com/general-surgical-instruments/kocher-retractor-2-ri-s-3054/
- accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov/devices/00190660138073
- accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov/devices/10649111235672
- surgicalholdings.co.uk/general/retractors/kocher-retractor.html
- surgicalholdings.co.uk/orthopaedic/retractors/kocher-retractors.html
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retractor_(medicine)
Last checked 29 Oct 2026. Information is general reference, not clinical guidance.
Suggest a correction if any detail on this page is wrong.
Related instruments
Balfour Abdominal Retractor
Large self-retaining abdominal retractor with two lateral blades and a central bladder blade, used to hold a laparotomy wound open.
Cloward Retractor
Self-retaining cervical spine retractor (Cloward type) with a frame and interchangeable blade pairs, used to hold tissue apart during anterior neck surgery.
Deaver Retractor
Hand-held deep abdominal retractor with a broad, smoothly curved blade, invented by surgeon John Blair Deaver, used to retract organs and deep incisions.
Ribbon Retractor
Flat, malleable strip retractor that can be bent to the shape needed, used to hold back organs and tissue in deep surgical wounds.