Hohmann Retractor: What It Is, Blade Widths and FDA Class

A Hohmann retractor is a hand-held orthopaedic retractor that hooks behind a bone to hold soft tissue away from the operative field. Catalogues list it in several blade widths, so a name alone does not define the instrument. This page is general product information, not medical advice and not a procedure guide.

Short answer

A Hohmann retractor is a hand-held bone retractor used in orthopaedic surgery. Humanitarian supply catalogues describe it as hooking behind bones, and list it in martensitic steel. Because the same name covers different blade widths and lengths, a complete specification needs blade width, overall length and material.

Definition and scope

Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary defines the Hohmann retractor as a hand-held retractor used in orthopaedic surgery to pull soft tissues away from the operative field. The IFRC/ICRC standard products catalogue puts it in the same family: “Retractor, bone, Hohmann, Verbrugge-Hohmann”, described as a handy retractor used in orthopaedic procedures that “hooks behind bones”. It is a hand-held instrument, so it sits apart from self-retaining designs that hold themselves open. For the wider family, see what a surgical retractor is.

How it is described in practice

The IFRC/ICRC catalogue lists the material as martensitic steel (quenched, magnetic steel). The Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) UniCat catalogue files its Verbrugge-Hohmann entry under “Spreaders and retractors for orthopaedic surgery, reusable” (code L0915). Neither catalogue entry is a clinical technique description, and this page does not give one.

Under US regulation, 21 CFR 878.4800 defines a manual surgical instrument for general use as a nonpowered, hand-held or hand-manipulated device, reusable or disposable, and its list of included devices names the retractor. Such devices are Class I (general controls) and exempt from premarket notification under subpart E of part 807, subject to the limits in 21 CFR 878.9. The regulation adds that an instrument with specialised uses in a specific medical specialty is classified in separate regulations in parts 868 through 892. The class of a particular Hohmann product therefore depends on how that product is listed, so check the manufacturer’s regulatory listing rather than assuming it from the name.

Types and related concepts: the same name, different sizes

Blade width and overall length below are as each of the two humanitarian catalogues states them (checked 2026-10-30).

Catalogue entry	Blade width	Overall length	Code
IFRC/ICRC: Retractor, bone, Hohmann	18 mm	24 cm	XSINMEDI771118
IFRC/ICRC: Retractor, bone, Hohmann	24 mm	26 cm	XSINMEDI771124
IFRC/ICRC: Retractor, bone, Hohmann	34 mm	29 cm	XSINMEDI771134
IFRC/ICRC: Retractor, bone, Verbrugge-Hohmann	42 mm	24 cm	XSINMEDI771142
MSF UniCat: Retractor, bone, Hohmann	18 mm	24 cm	77-11-18
MSF UniCat: Retractor, bone, Verbrugge-Hohmann	65 mm	25 cm	77-11-65

The plain Hohmann 18 mm by 24 cm entry matches in both catalogues, but the Verbrugge-Hohmann entry does not: 42 mm in one, 65 mm in the other. The sizes vary by catalogue.

Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions

The comparison above gives a practical specification checklist, each item traceable to a source:

• Blade width and overall length. Both catalogues list these as separate fields, and the Verbrugge-Hohmann entries differ between them.
• Name variant. Both catalogues list Hohmann and Verbrugge-Hohmann as distinct entries.
• Material. The IFRC/ICRC entry states martensitic steel (quenched, magnetic steel); the MSF entry does not state a material.
• Reusable or disposable. MSF files its entry under reusable orthopaedic retractors; 21 CFR 878.4800 covers both reusable and disposable manual instruments.
• Regulatory listing. Class follows the device’s own listing under the FDA regulations, as described above.

For related orthopaedic and retractor pages, see orthopedic surgical instruments, retractor blades, the Volkmann retractor and the Langenbeck retractor.

Common misunderstandings

• “Hohmann” is not one size. The IFRC/ICRC catalogue alone lists Hohmann blades from 18 mm to 34 mm.
• Hohmann and Verbrugge-Hohmann are not interchangeable labels. Both catalogues list them as separate entries.
• The name does not settle the FDA class. 21 CFR 878.4800 sets a general class for manual retractors, but specialty-specific instruments can be classified elsewhere.

FAQ

What is a Hohmann retractor used for?

Taber’s describes it as a hand-held retractor used in orthopaedic surgery to pull soft tissues away from the operative field, and the IFRC/ICRC catalogue says it hooks behind bones. How a surgeon places it is a clinical matter outside this page.

What sizes do Hohmann retractors come in?

The IFRC/ICRC catalogue lists blade widths of 18, 24 and 34 mm for Hohmann (overall length 24, 26 and 29 cm) and 42 mm by 24 cm for Verbrugge-Hohmann. MSF lists Hohmann at 18 mm by 24 cm and Verbrugge-Hohmann at 65 mm by 25 cm.

What is the difference between Hohmann and Verbrugge-Hohmann?

Both catalogues list them as separate entries and the Verbrugge-Hohmann entries are wider (42 mm and 65 mm against 18 to 34 mm for Hohmann). Beyond that, the catalogues do not explain the design difference.

Is a Hohmann retractor reusable?

MSF UniCat lists its Hohmann and Verbrugge-Hohmann entries under reusable orthopaedic retractors. Whether a given product is reusable is stated in the manufacturer’s instructions for use.

What FDA class is a Hohmann retractor?

21 CFR 878.4800 classifies manual surgical instruments for general use, including retractors, as Class I and exempt from 510(k), but instruments with specialised uses can fall under other regulations, so the product’s own listing governs.

Sources

All sources checked 2026-10-30.

• IFRC/ICRC Standard products catalogue, “Retractor, bone, Hohmann, Verbrugge-Hohmann” (XSINMEDI7711): https://itemscatalogue.redcross.int/health–3/surgical-instruments–24/surgical-instruments–111/retractor-bone-hohmann-verbrugge-hohmann–XSINMEDI7711.aspx
• MSF UniCat, products 14214 and 14215: https://unicat.msf.org/cat/product/14215
• 21 CFR 878.4800, Manual surgical instrument for general use: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-878.4800
• Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 24th ed., entry “Hohmann retractor”: https://download.skyscape.com/download/ota/lonestar/B0B48221-042B-40EF-8897-3121CCC29317/tabers.ed24/content/HTML/w/tl303.htm