Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
63 words
A surgical apparatus for retracting tissue comprising a base adapted to lie on the patient's skin, a handle slidably mounted with respect to the base, a tissue retracting blade extending from the handle, and a locking member cooperating with the handle and movable from at least a first position to a second position to retain the tissue retracting blade in a selected position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
A surgical apparatus for retracting tissue comprising: a) a base; b) an elongated shaft movably mounted with respect to the base; c) a tissue retracting blade extending from the shaft and movable upon movement of the elongated shaft; and d) means mounted with respect to the base or the elongated shaft for enabling illumination of the surgical site.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A surgical apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the retracting blade extends transversely from the handle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A surgical apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the locking member comprises a rotatable knob mounted on a shaft portion of the handle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A surgical apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rotatable knob threadably engages threads on the shaft portion of the handle to retain the retracting blade in the selected position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A surgical apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a support for mounting a light guide to illuminate the surgical site.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The surgical apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the base includes two spaced apart legs and the retracting blade is positioned between the legs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The surgical apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the base portion includes a pair of upstanding walls, each wall extending upwardly from the respective legs and terminating in a neck portion to support the locking member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The surgical apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a light guide is mounted on the handle wherein a shaft of the handle includes a recess dimensioned and configured to receive the light guide.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the retracting member is integral with the elongated shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The surgical apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a locking member, the locking member retaining the shaft in a desired position.