FURI | Spring 2020

An Expandable Retractor Tool for Increasing Available Working Space During Neurosurgery

An estimated 23,890 adults in the United States will be diagnosed with cancerous tumors of the brain and spinal cord in 2020.  However, while tubular retractors allow neurosurgeons to reach affected brain tissue, the openings of these retractors are incredibly small and restrict the precise movements required of surgeons during operations.  The researcher explores the possibility of designing a tubular retractor with an expandable working end to allow neurosurgeons greater freedom of movement during critical surgery operations.