Patent ID: 7445598

Claim:
An organ retractor, comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis and a longitudinal plane; and at least one organ support assembly operatively coupled to the distal end of the shaft, the organ support assembly including: a plurality of ribs each defining a respective longitudinal axis, wherein each rib is cantilevered so as to be supported only at a proximal end and to have a free distal end; the at least one organ support assembly having a first position, in which the longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of ribs is generally parallel with one another, and a second position, in which the longitudinal axis of a first rib of the plurality of ribs is transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of a second rib of the plurality of ribs; the at least one organ support assembly being pivotable from a first orientation, in which each of the plurality of ribs is generally disposed in the longitudinal plane of the shaft, to a second orientation, in which each of the plurality of ribs is disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal plane of the shaft, wherein the plurality of ribs are pivotally connected to one another at a proximal end portion thereof; a sling extending between and connected to the first rib and the second rib; and a deployment and retracting mechanism configured and adapted to urge the at least one organ support assembly from the first position to a plurality of positions including the second position and from the first orientation to a plurality of orientations including the second orientation, the deployment and retracting mechanism including a first rod extending through the shaft and operatively connected to the at least one organ support assembly such that proximal movement of the first rod urges the at least one organ support assembly from the first orientation to one of the plurality of orientations and a second rod extending through the shaft and operatively connected to one of the plurality of ribs such that proximal movement of the second rod urges the at least one organ support assembly from a first position to one of the plurality of positions; wherein when the at least one organ support assembly is in the first position, the longitudinal axis of each of the first plurality of ribs is generally-parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft; and wherein the at least one organ support assembly is pivotally connected to the distal end of the shaft and arranged so as to permit articulation of the at least one organ support assembly relative to the shaft.