Patent ID: 7276024

Claim:
A retractor for use in surgery comprising two arms each adapted to carry a blade engageable with one side of an incision, the two arms being connected by a pivot located at one end of the arms such that the arms can be pivoted between a closed position and an adjustable open position in which the arms define a substantially V-shaped configuration in which the blades maintain the sides of the incision in inclined relation, and means for retaining the arms in the open position located at an opposite end of the arms comprising a curved bar carried by one of the arms with the centre of curvature of the bar coinciding with the pivot, said curved bar co-operating with means carried by the other arm for releasably locking the bar relative to said other arm in a selected position to maintain the V-shaped configuration of the arms, and means for mounting the blades to the arms in selected positions along the length of the arms that are intermediate the pivot and the means for retaining the arms in the open position.