A micromanipulator for precise control of a brain retractor. Technical note.

A new microsurgical device for delicate brain retraction is described. The device, a micromanipulator with a holder for a brain spatula fixed at the end of a self-retaining retractor arm, allows smooth, steady, fine displacement of the retractor tip ("minimal sliding retraction"), operated by the surgeon's two fingers. This has proved to be a useful and safe method of retraction for critical brain structures such as blood vessels, cranial nerves and aneurysm domes in deep microsurgical fields.