Patent ID: 8007508

Claim:
A tissue retraction assembly, comprising: an elongate body shaft which is at least partially rigid and sized for retracting intra-abdominal or intra-thoracic organs; an actuation member having a bending section comprising a reduced diameter and where the actuation member is movable relative to the elongate body shaft; a first retraction arm member and a second retraction arm member each having a first end attached to a distal tip of the elongate body shaft and a second end attached to the actuation member and where each arm member has a substantially uniform cross-section along its length, each retraction arm member being positioned opposite to one another at a distal end of the elongate body shaft; an advancement mechanism which is configured to maintain the actuation member relative to the elongate body shaft in one or more intermediate positions whereby each retraction arm member is correspondingly configured within a single plane into one or more intermediate curved or arcuate configurations along a substantial length of each arm member within the single plane between a low profile and an expanded profile which approximates a size of the intra-abdominal or intra-thoracic organs to be retracted; and a pivoted mechanism positioned along the elongate body shaft rotatable coupling a distal section and a proximal section and having the actuation member extending therethrough, wherein the distal section having the arm members is pivoted at an angle relative to the proximal section of the elongate body shaft when the actuation member is actuated longitudinally such that the reduced diameter is capable of bending when translated within the pivoted mechanism, wherein each retraction arm member is further positioned along the elongate body shaft such that each retraction arm member is reconfigurable into an overextended arcuate configuration extending distally beyond the assembly.