Surgical retractor system

Claim 2

A surgical retractor system, comprising: a support frame having a generally horizontally oriented support member with at least two horizontally oriented sides, each side of the support member having a plurality of mounting holes formed therein and extending along at least a portion of the length thereof, each mounting hole being adapted to receive a fastening element; at least one retractor blade, mateable at a selected position on the support frame, the at least one retractor blade having a substantially elongate, horizontally oriented mounting portion having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot, and a tissue-retracting portion integral with and distal to the mounting portion, the tissue-retracting portion having a first section coplanar with the mounting portion, a second section angularly oriented with respect to the first section, and an open access window substantially centrally formed in both the first and second sections of the tissue retracting portion, the second section of the tissue-retracting portion forming a closed distal end around the open access window; and at least one fastening element effective to selectively mate one of the at least one retractor blades to the support frame at one of the plurality of mounting holes.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 , wherein the support frame is a four sided, substantially rectangular member having an open interior portion.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the four sides of the frame are integral with each other and the mounting holes are formed in each side and are adjacent to each other.

Claim 5

The system of claim 3 , wherein at least one side of the frame has a mounting flange integral therewith, and the mounting flange is oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the side of the frame with which it is integral.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4 , wherein the frame has first and second mounting flanges, each integral with opposite sides of the frame.

Claim 7

The system of claim 5 , wherein each mounting flange has mounting holes formed therein, and the mounting holes extend and are formed adjacent to each other in a pattern that is parallel to the mounting flange.

Claim 8

The system of claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second mounting flanges has a length in the range of about 20 mm to 60 mm.

Claim 9

The system of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the mounting portion has a width in the range of about 30 to 200 mm.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1 , wherein the slot has a length in the range of about 20 to 200 mm and a width in the range of about 3 to 10 mm.

Claim 11

The system of claim 1 , wherein the first section of the tissue retracting portion has a width in the range of about 30 to 100 mm. 11 .The system of claim 10 , wherein the combined length of the mounting portion and the first section of the tissue retracting portion is in the range of about 40 to 300 mm.

Claim 12

The system of claim 1 , wherein the length of the second section of the tissue retracting portion is in the range of about 20 to 250 mm.

Claim 13

The system of claim 1 , wherein the open access window extends continuously from the first section to the second section of the tissue retracting portion.

Claim 14

The system of claim 13 , wherein length of the open access window in the first section of the tissue retracting portion is in the range of about 15 to 195 mm.

Claim 15

The system of claim 13 , wherein the length of the open access window in the second section of the tissue retracting portion is in the range of about 40 to 300 mm.

Claim 16

The system of claim 1 , wherein the second section of the tissue retracting portion extends at an angle of about 90° with respect to the first section of the tissue retracting portion.

Claim 17

The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fastening element is a thumbscrew.

Claim 18

The system of claim 1 , wherein the slot has a scalloped perimeter defining multiple screw seating positions.

Claim 19

The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of each of the at least one retractor blades is malleable.

Claim 20

The surgical retractor system of claim 1 , wherein the support member includes at least one side, and the plurality of mounting holes are disposed substantially along a length of the at least one side, each mounting hole defining a selected position along the at least one side of the support frame.

Claim 21

A surgical retractor system; comprising: a substantially C-shaped support frame having a generally horizontally oriented support member having formed therein a plurality of mounting holes adapted to receive a fastening element, and having a long side with mounting holes formed therein adjacent to each other and spaced along the long side in a pattern parallel to the long side, and first and second short sides extending from opposite sides of the long side, wherein each short side having at least one mounting hole formed therein; at least one retractor blade, mateable at a selected position on the support frame, the at least one retractor blade having a substantially elongate, horizontally oriented mounting portion having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot, and a tissue-retracting portion integral with and distal to the mounting portion, the tissue-retracting portion having a first section coplanar with the mounting portion, a second section angularly oriented with respect to the first section, and an open access window substantially centrally formed in both the first and second sections of the tissue retracting portion; and at least one fastening element effective to selectively mate one of the at least one retractor blades to the support frame at one of the plurality of mounting holes.

Claim 22

A surgical retractor system; comprising: a substantially C-shaped support frame having a generally horizontally oriented support member having formed therein a plurality of mounting holes adapted to receive a fastening element, and having a long side with mounting holes formed therein adjacent to each other and spaced along the long side in a pattern parallel to the long side, and first and second short sides extending from opposite sides of the long side, wherein each short side having at least one mounting hole formed therein; at least one retractor blade, mateable at a selected position on the support frame, the at least one retractor blade having a substantially elongate, horizontally oriented mounting portion having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot, and a tissue-retracting portion integral with and distal to the mounting portion, the tissue-retracting portion having a first section coplanar with the mounting portion, a second section angularly oriented with respect to the first section, and an open access window substantially centrally formed in both the first and second sections of the tissue retracting portion; and at least one fastening element effective to selectively mate one of the at least one retractor blades to the support frame at one of the plurality of mounting holes.

Claim 23

The system of claim 21 , wherein a plurality of mounting holes are formed in the short sides of the frame and extend in a pattern substantially perpendicular to the mounting holes formed in the long side of the frame.

Claim 24

The system of claim 21 , wherein each of the first and second short sides has a mounting flange integral therewith and oriented substantially parallel to the long side.

Claim 25

The system of claim 23 , wherein each mounting flange has mounting holes formed therein, and the mounting holes extend and are formed adjacent to each other in a pattern that is parallel to the mounting flange.

Claim 26

A surgical retractor system, comprising: a support frame having a generally horizontally oriented support member having formed therein a plurality of mounting holes adapted to receive a fastening element, the mounting holes including internal threads; at least one retractor blade, mateable at a selected position on the support frame, the at least one retractor blade having a substantially elongate, horizontally oriented mounting portion having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot, and a tissue-retracting portion integral with and distal to the mounting portion, the tissue-retracting portion having a first section coplanar with the mounting portion, a second section angularly oriented with respect to the first section, and an open access window substantially centrally formed in both the first and second sections of the tissue retracting portion; and at least one fastening element effective to selectively mate one of the at least one retractor blades to the support frame at one of the plurality of mounting holes.

Claim 27

A surgical retractor system, comprising: a support frame having a generally horizontally oriented support member having formed therein a plurality of mounting holes adapted to receive a fastening element, the mounting holes including internal threads; at least one retractor blade, mateable at a selected position on the support frame, the at least one retractor blade having a substantially elongate, horizontally oriented mounting portion having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot, and a tissue-retracting portion integral with and distal to the mounting portion, the tissue-retracting portion having a first section coplanar with the mounting portion, a second section angularly oriented with respect to the first section, and an open access window substantially centrally formed in both the first and second sections of the tissue retracting portion; and at least one fastening element effective to selectively mate one of the at least one retractor blades to the support frame at one of the plurality of mounting holes.

Claim 28

A surgical retractor system, comprising: a support frame having a generally horizontally oriented support member having formed therein a plurality of mounting holes adapted to receive a fastening element; at least one retractor blade, mateable at a selected position on the support frame, the at least one retractor blade having a substantially elongate, horizontally oriented mounting portion having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot, and a tissue-retracting portion integral with and distal to the mounting portion, the tissue-retracting portion having a first section coplanar with the mounting portion, a second section angularly oriented with respect to the first section, and an open access window substantially centrally formed in both the first and second sections of the tissue retracting portion; and at least one fastening element effective to selectively mate one of the at least one retractor blades to the support frame at one of the plurality of mounting holes, the at least one fastening element comprising a mounting screw having a head and a threaded shaft.

Claim 29

A surgical retractor system, comprising: a support frame having a generally horizontally oriented support member having formed therein a plurality of mounting holes adapted to receive a fastening element; at least one retractor blade, mateable at a selected position on the support frame, the at least one retractor blade having a substantially elongate, horizontally oriented mounting portion having formed therein a longitudinally extending slot, and a tissue-retracting portion integral with and distal to the mounting portion, the tissue-retracting portion having a first section coplanar with the mounting portion, a second section angularly oriented with respect to the first section, and an open access window substantially centrally formed in both the first and second sections of the tissue retracting portion; and at least one fastening element effective to selectively mate one of the at least one retractor blades to the support frame at one of the plurality of mounting holes, the at least one fastening element comprising a mounting screw having a head and a threaded shaft.

Claim 30

A surgical retractor blade, comprising: a substantially flat, elongate first portion extending in a first orientation, the first portion including a slot having one or more positions effective to mate with a fastening element; and a substantially flat, elongate second portion integral with the first portion, the second portion having a first section extending in the first orientation, a second section extending in a second orientation, and only one access window extending between the first and second sections, the second section of the elongate second portion forming a closed distal end around the access window.

Claim 31

A surgical retractor blade, comprising: a substantially flat, elongate first portion extending in a first orientation, the first portion including a slot having one or more positions effective to mate with a fastening element; and a substantially flat, elongate second portion integral with the first portion, the second portion having a first section extending in the first orientation, a second section extending in a second orientation, and only one access window extending between the first and second sections, the second section of the elongate second portion forming a closed distal end around the access window.

Claim 32

The blade of claim 27 , wherein the positions effective to mate with a fastening element are present in a mounting slot formed in the first portion of the blade.

Claim 33

The blade of claim 27 , wherein the slot has a scalloped perimeter defining multiple positions effective to mate with a fastening element.

Claim 34

The blade of claim 27 , wherein the second portion is adapted to engage and retract tissue.

Claim 35

The blade of claim 27 , wherein the first orientation is horizontal and the second orientation is vertical.

Claim 36

The blade of claim 27 wherein the second portion is angularly oriented with respect to the first portion.

Claim 37

The blade of claim 32 , wherein the second section of the second portion is oriented with respect to the first portion at an angle in the range of about 45° to 135°.

Claim 38

The blade of claim 33 , wherein the slot is elongate.