Malleable retractor

A method of forming a surgical retractor, comprising:

• disposing an insulative layer over a malleable strip, the malleable strip to be capable of a first unbent configuration and a second bent configuration, the second bent configuration having a bend radius of about 0.5 cm to about 2.0 cm;
• depositing a flexible electrical conductor on at least a portion of the insulative layer;
• and
• disposing an illumination source at a distal portion of the malleable strip and in electrical communication with the flexible electrical conductor.

A surgical retractor, comprising:

• a malleable strip;
• a malleable planar illumination source secured to the malleable strip, the malleable planar illumination source and the malleable strip capable of cooperatively bending to a bend radius of less than about 2.0 cm;
• and
• a conductive material coupled to the malleable strip, the conductive material being capable of elongation by a factor of about 20.0%.

A surgical retractor, comprising:

• a malleable strip having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion and having a substantially uniform width from the first end portion to the second end portion;
• an insulative layer disposed over the malleable strip;
• a flexible electrical conductor deposited on at least a portion of the insulative layer;
• and
• a planar illumination source disposed at the second end portion of the malleable strip, the planar illumination source disposed over the insulative layer,
• the surgical retractor having a first unbent configuration and a second bent configuration having a bend radius of less than about 2.0 cm.

A surgical retractor, comprising:

• a malleable strip having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion and having a substantially uniform width from the first end portion to the second end portion;
• an insulative layer disposed over the malleable strip;
• a flexible electrical conductor deposited on at least a portion of the insulative layer;
• and
• a planar illumination source disposed at the second end portion of the malleable strip, the planar illumination source disposed over the insulative layer,
• the surgical retractor being capable of a first unbent configuration and a second bent configuration having a bend radius of less than about 2.0 cm,
• the surgical retractor capable of being positioned behind a human eye or of being positioned between individual human ribs.