Wylie Renal Vein Retractor
A long hand-held retractorrih-TRAK-terA surgical instrument that holds back tissue or organs so the surgeon can see and reach the operative site.Full entry bent into a deep curve, with a short shaped handle at one end and a flat blade about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide with a gently curved, smooth tip at the other.
- On setups
- 1
On the table
What it does, the lengths it comes in and what experienced techs know about it.
What it’s for
Holds the left renal vein out of the way during surgery on the abdominal aorta or the renal arteries.
Lengths and variants
Blade 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Short blade about 3-3/4 inches (9.5-10 cm) deep, long blade about 6-7/8 inches (17.5 cm) deep. Overall length about 11-3/4 to 13-3/4 inches.
What experienced techs know
What techs who reach for it every day know about it.Pro
Through the case
In the order you meet it: before, during and after the case.
- Before the case
Inspection and testing
What to check before it reaches the field.Pro
- During the case
Passing it
How to pass it so it lands in the surgeon’s hand the right way round.Pro
Know it on sight.
With Pro, for every instrument in the library. Cancel any time.
Or scrub in free: 5 questions a day.
On 1 setup
Every setup it is laid out on.
Every setup this instrument is laid out on, with photos of each table.
See ProKnow this instrument?
Send a clearer photo, another name it goes by, or a fix for this page.
6 sources
- Teleflex. Surgical Instruments Catalog. p. 749
- Aesculap. US Surgical Instrument Catalog (DOC373). p. 1315
- Benzel EC. Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance and Management. 3rd ed. Chapter 57 (Dorsal and Lateral Thoracic and Lumbar Fusion), p. 548
- Schultz R. Inspecting Forceps and Retractors (Instrument Whisperer). HSPA Process, Sept/Oct 2023. p. 60-61
- Fuller JK. Surgical Technology: Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Chapter 19 (Surgical Skills II: Intraoperative and Immediate Postoperative Period), p. 392
- Fuller JK. Surgical Technology: Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Chapter 11 (Surgical Instruments), p. 206
The rest of this card is Pro.
The photos, the description, the uses and the lengths stay free. Pro opens the rest on every instrument: the 3D model, the notes from the table, where it is kept, every setup it is on, and practice.
Free, for good. No card.
- All 2,882 instrument cards
- Every General setup in full
- 5 exam questions a day
- Your own preference cards
Pass your exam. Know every case.
Everything in Free, plus:
- All 260 setups in every specialty: back table, Mayo and every step
- Practice that never runs out and full timed exams for the CST, TS-C, CRCST, CSPDT and CSFA, with the why behind every answer
- Flashcards on any tray, timed to come back before you forget
- Every instrument card in full: the 3D model, cautions, inspection, how to pass it
Cancel any time from your account. Not worth it? Email us within 30 days of a charge for a refund, one per customer. Refund policy
Pro is also in the CSTSetup app, on the same account. Already have Pro? Log in

Send a photo or a fix
A photo of it on your tray, a name your OR calls it, or anything wrong on this page. Your email is only used to credit you. Submissions stay private and are reviewed by our team; accepted ones earn a Contributor credit here.