Patent ID: 6371911
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A surgical retractor comprising:a frame adapted to rest on, and to be supported by, the anterior part of the chest or abdomen of a patient on opposite sides of an incision, the frame comprising two, elongated, rigid, blade-supporting elements disposed in opposed relationship to each other with a space between them, each blade-supporting element having an upper side and an underside; and a plurality of separate tissue-engaging blades supported on each of said elongated, rigid elements, the distance between the blades on one of the rigid elements and the blades on the other of the rigid elements being adjustable; and wherein each blade is supported on its rigid, blade-supporting element by an associated pylon disposed underneath, and depending from the underside of, said blade-supporting element, each pylon comprises a laterally extending element connected to the underside of said blade-supporting element, said blade is connected to the pylon, and the pylon is substantially narrower than the width of said blade in the direction of elongation of said blade-supporting element; whereby the outer layers of fat of an obese patient can accumulate between adjacent pylons, allowing the blades to fully engage the edges of the chest or abdominal wall of the patient at the location of the incision.