retractor

retractor definition - medical

re·trac·tor (rĭ-trăkˈtər)

noun
  1. A surgical instrument used to hold back organs or the edges of an incision.
  2. A muscle, such as a flexor, that retracts an organ or a part.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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