Which abdominal retractor has three blades to provide optimal access to the surgical site?

• A. Gelpi
• B. Balfour
• C. Weitlaner
• D. Harrington

Answer: (B)

Opening the abdominal cavity effectively requires a retractor that can spread the wound edges widely and hold them securely in place. The Balfour retractor is designed with three blades arranged to do exactly that: a central blade sits beneath the incision to lift the abdominal wall, while two lateral blades retract the side walls. This three-blade setup provides broad, stable exposure of the surgical field and keeps tissue out of the way, which is especially important for laparotomies and deeper access. Other retractors have different blade configurations—Gelpi uses a single blade for focused exposure, Weitlaner has multiple prongs for more general soft-tissue retraction, and Harrington is a heavier, older design not optimized for the three-blade abdominal exposure.