Patent ID: 7270632

Claim:
A lifting mechanism for use with a surgical retractor that engages and separates the sides of an incision that has been made in a patient, the lifting mechanism permitting one side of the incision to be raised relative to the other side of the incision, the lifting mechanism comprising: a clamp that can be connected to the retractor; a foot connected to the clamp, the foot being movable relative to the clamp, the foot being engageable with the patient such that extension of the foot causes the retractor to be raised and contraction of the foot causes the retractor to be lowered; a post having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis, the first end connected to and extending from the clamp; a formation connected to the second end of the post, the formation having an opening therethrough, the opening having an axis that is spaced from and generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the post; a rack having first and second ends and notches along one side, the rack being disposed within the opening for movement back and forth therein, the foot being connected to the first end of the rack; a rotatable pinion carried by the formation, the pinion being in contact with the notches; a wingnut connected to the pinion, the wingnut being accessible to a user; and a pawl having first and second ends connected to the formation, the first end being in contact with the notches and the second end being accessible to a user, the pawl being pivotally mounted to the formation such that the first end permits movement of the rack in one direction and prevents movement of the rack in the other direction.