A new sternal retraction device for the dissection of the internal mammary artery.

For the dissection of the internal mammary artery (IMA), we use a new sternal retraction technique. The retractor is an angled stainless steel device with a slotted face and two sternal arresting hooks. The method is simple and the device acts as a unit with a standard sternal spreader. The time period between mounting and the exposure of the IMA is only a few seconds. The entire procedure takes place in the sterile operative field. By utilizing this method, we dissected nearly 300 IMAs without any complications or serious sternal injuries.