Patent ID: 7749163

Claim:
A universal joint apparatus for a surgical retraction system comprising: a scissors clamp having a first segment, a second segment, and a pivot, the first segment being a first unitary structure and having a first handle and two lower grippers, the second segment being a second unitary structure and having a second handle and an upper gripper, the unitary structures of the first and second segments being mechanically fastened to each other by the pivot, one segment being configured to cross the other segment at the pivot, the first handle and second handle being located on the first side of the pivot, the first handle being separated from the second handle by a gap, the two lower grippers and the upper gripper being located on the second side of the pivot, the upper gripper and the lower grippers being oriented to create a passageway between the upper and lower grippers that is configured to receive the insertion of a retractor blade handle; wherein each of the two lower grippers is positioned adjacent to an opposing side of a portion of the second segment on the second side of the pivot, and a locking mechanism and a rod, the rod associating the locking mechanism with the scissors clamp, the manipulation of the locking mechanism enabling the scissors clamp to be moved from an open position to a locked position wherein the size of both the gap between the first handle and the second handle and the size of the passageway between the upper gripper and the lower grippers are reduced so as to provide a compressive force on the retractor blade handle.