Patent ID: 7427264

Claim:
An instrument for retracting tissue to access a location in a patient, comprising: an elongated retractor sleeve defining a channel extending therethrough between a proximal end and a distal end of said retractor sleeve; and a plurality of elongated retractor blades mounted along said channel of said retractor sleeve, said plurality of retractor blades being selectively moveable independently of one another and relative to said retractor sleeve to extend said selected retractor blade distally from said distal end of said retractor sleeve and to withdraw an extended retractor blade proximally into said retractor sleeve; and a retaining member removably positionable in said retractor sleeve, said retaining member including a body extending about an inner surface of said retractor sleeve, said body defining a working channel extending proximally and distally therethrough aligned with said channel of said retractor sleeve, said plurality of retractor blades being received in respective ones of a plurality of passages formed between said body and said inner surface of said retractor sleeve, wherein said retaining member includes a number of longitudinally extending flanges spaced about said body, said flanges extending between said body and said inner surface with respective ones of said passages being provided between adjacent ones of said flanges.