A surgical retractor comprising: a shaft with an integral blade, the shaft and the blade being joined at an angle, the blade having an upper surface; a plurality of lights which are embedded within said blade and exposed at the upper surface and wherein the blade surrounding the lights is opaque; a power source which includes a handle; a pair of electrical connectors that connect said plurality of lights with said power source; wherein said power source for the lights is in communication with the electrical connectors and is either carried on the shaft or remote from the shaft; the surgical retractor characterised in that: the plurality of lights are LED lights; the retractor further comprises a pair of ridges located on said shaft and located at an end opposite to the blade; the power source has a pair of slots operationally associated with said ridges, each said slot including an open end near the handle of the power source and a barrier at the opposite end of the slot; wherein the shaft is slideably engaged with the slots on the power source by aligning the each ridge of the shaft with the open end of each slot of the power source and sliding the power source in a direction opposite of the blade until the proximal end of each ridge lies within each slot and engages the barrier of each slot to releaseably secure the shaft to the power source and wherein each barrier prevents its corresponding ridge and the shaft from exiting the slot; the blade and shaft having a lower surface with an integral channel therein and a closure member covering the channel; wherein the channel houses the electrical connectors for the lights; and wherein the power source further includes a pair of extension arms which emanate up from the main body of the power source providing housing for the slots. a shaft with an integral blade, the shaft and the blade being joined at an angle, the blade having an upper surface; a plurality of lights which are embedded within said blade and exposed at the upper surface and wherein the blade surrounding the lights is opaque; a power source which includes a handle; a pair of electrical connectors that connect said plurality of lights with said power source; wherein said power source for the lights is in communication with the electrical connectors and is either carried on the shaft or remote from the shaft; the surgical retractor characterised in that: the plurality of lights are LED lights; the retractor further comprises a pair of ridges located on said shaft and located at an end opposite to the blade; the power source has a pair of slots operationally associated with said ridges, each said slot including an open end near the handle of the power source and a barrier at the opposite end of the slot; wherein the shaft is slideably engaged with the slots on the power source by aligning the each ridge of the shaft with the open end of each slot of the power source and sliding the power source in a direction opposite of the blade until the proximal end of each ridge lies within each slot and engages the barrier of each slot to releaseably secure the shaft to the power source and wherein each barrier prevents its corresponding ridge and the shaft from exiting the slot; the blade and shaft having a lower surface with an integral channel therein and a closure member covering the channel; wherein the channel houses the electrical connectors for the lights; and wherein the power source further includes a pair of extension arms which emanate up from the main body of the power source providing housing for the slots. the plurality of lights are LED lights; the retractor further comprises a pair of ridges located on said shaft and located at an end opposite to the blade; the power source has a pair of slots operationally associated with said ridges, each said slot including an open end near the handle of the power source and a barrier at the opposite end of the slot; wherein the shaft is slideably engaged with the slots on the power source by aligning the each ridge of the shaft with the open end of each slot of the power source and sliding the power source in a direction opposite of the blade until the proximal end of each ridge lies within each slot and engages the barrier of each slot to releaseably secure the shaft to the power source and wherein each barrier prevents its corresponding ridge and the shaft from exiting the slot; the blade and shaft having a lower surface with an integral channel therein and a closure member covering the channel; wherein the channel houses the electrical connectors for the lights; and wherein the power source further includes a pair of extension arms which emanate up from the main body of the power source providing housing for the slots.