These have long been the standard abdominal retractor in human and veterinary surgery. Consists of two long rods of steel with two mobile blades at either extremity that have right angled retractor ends. These blades can be moved along the steel rod to open up the surgical incision. The Balfour also has a central retractor blade allowing retraction in an upward/downward direction too. The Balfour Locking Ring can tighten onto the steel rod to lock the central retractor blade in place if it was needed to be used off-centre.