Patent ID: 8216133

Claim:
A surgical retractor, comprising: a retractor frame having first and second support bars spaced from each other to define a surgical site: a first arm having a first end and a second end, said first end being operative to movably attach to said first bar support; a first blade having an outer surface and a contact surface and being attached to said second end of said first arm; a transducer disposed on said contact surface of said first blade; a second arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second arm being operative to movably attach to said second bar support; a second blade having an outer surface and a contact surface and being attached to said second end of said second arm; and a Doppler ultrasound sensor in electrical communication with said transducer and operative to indicate when a preset blood flow rate is detected; wherein said transducer is operative to transmit signals to said Doppler ultrasound sensor such that said sensor calculates a blood flow rate proximate to a surgical site where the surgical retractor is being used.