A posterior spinal retractor for a maintaining an access corridor to a site along a posterior spinal column on which a surgical procedure is performed, the surgical procedure including use of first and second bone anchors anchorable into a first pedicle of a first vertebra and a second pedicle of a second vertebra, respectively, comprising: a retractor body having a first arm extending along a first arm axis and a second arm extending along a second arm axis, the first arm axis and second arm axis being parallel to one another and perpendicular to a first translation axis, the retractor body being operable to move the first retractor arm and the second retractor arm relative to each other in a direction plane parallel to the first translation axis, the first arm including a splay mechanism operable to rotate a portion of the first arm about the first arm axis, the second arm including a splay mechanism operable to rotate a portion of the second arm about the second arm axis; a first retractor blade coupleable to the first arm and having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the first retractor blade including an integral blade foot operable to directly couple to a first bone anchor shank, the blade foot permitting angular adjustability of the first retractor blade relative to the first bone anchor shank, the proximal end including a proximal connector; and a second retractor blade coupleable to the second arm and having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the second retractor blade including an integral blade foot operable to directly couple to a second bone anchor shank, the blade foot permitting angular adjustability of the second retractor blade relative to the second bone anchor shank, the proximal end including a proximal connector characterised in that the proximal connector of the first retractor blade engages the first arm such that the rotatable portion of the first arm rotates relative to the first retractor blade about a limited first free rotation range and beyond the limited first free rotation range the first retractor blade rotates with the rotatable portion of the first arm to splay the distal end of the first retractor blade; and the proximal connector of the second retractor blade engages the second arm such that the rotatable portion of the second arm rotates relative to the second retractor blade about a limited second free rotation range and beyond the limited second free rotation range the second retractor blade rotates with the rotatable portion of the second arm to splay the distal end of the second retractor blade. a retractor body having a first arm extending along a first arm axis and a second arm extending along a second arm axis, the first arm axis and second arm axis being parallel to one another and perpendicular to a first translation axis, the retractor body being operable to move the first retractor arm and the second retractor arm relative to each other in a direction plane parallel to the first translation axis, the first arm including a splay mechanism operable to rotate a portion of the first arm about the first arm axis, the second arm including a splay mechanism operable to rotate a portion of the second arm about the second arm axis; a first retractor blade coupleable to the first arm and having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the first retractor blade including an integral blade foot operable to directly couple to a first bone anchor shank, the blade foot permitting angular adjustability of the first retractor blade relative to the first bone anchor shank, the proximal end including a proximal connector; and a second retractor blade coupleable to the second arm and having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the second retractor blade including an integral blade foot operable to directly couple to a second bone anchor shank, the blade foot permitting angular adjustability of the second retractor blade relative to the second bone anchor shank, the proximal end including a proximal connector characterised in that the proximal connector of the first retractor blade engages the first arm such that the rotatable portion of the first arm rotates relative to the first retractor blade about a limited first free rotation range and beyond the limited first free rotation range the first retractor blade rotates with the rotatable portion of the first arm to splay the distal end of the first retractor blade; and the proximal connector of the second retractor blade engages the second arm such that the rotatable portion of the second arm rotates relative to the second retractor blade about a limited second free rotation range and beyond the limited second free rotation range the second retractor blade rotates with the rotatable portion of the second arm to splay the distal end of the second retractor blade.