Patent ID: 7666136

Claim:
A surgical retractor comprising: two arms, each arm comprising a generally polygonal cross-section and an outer surface including a plurality of sides and a plurality of notches, each notch located at a discrete position around the perimeter of the arm and between a first end of the arm and a second end of the arm and formed at an intersection of two adjacent sides of the outer surface; each arm being pivotally connected to the other arm at the first end such that the arms can be pivoted between a closed position in which the arms are substantially parallel to one another and an open position in which the arms have a substantially V-shaped configuration; a lock for retaining the arms in the open position; a plurality of retractor blades, at least one retractor blade carried by each arm, each blade comprising a mounting portion cooperable with the arm for locating the retractor blade at any of the plurality of locations around the perimeter of the arm and between the first end and the second end of the arm, the mounting portion comprising an inner surface extending around more than half of the perimeter of the arm; wherein when the retractor blade is in an unlocked position the inner surface is substantially parallel to the surface of the arm and the retractor blade is moveable between the first end and second end of the arm; and wherein in a locked position the inner surface is askew to the surface of the arm and at least one edge of the mounting portion is engaged with at least one notch and the retractor blade is not movable between the first end and second end of the arm.