Illuminated Surgical Retractor System

An illuminated surgical retractor system for use with a fiberoptic illuminator, said system comprising:

• a light conducting fiberoptic cable that is attachable at a light input end to the fiberoptic illuminator;
• an elongate handle having a channel formed longitudinally therethrough for receiving the light conducting fiberoptic cable;
• an optical coupler receivable within said central channel of said handle, said optical coupler including an interior bore and inlet and outlet ports that communicate with said interior bore at respective ends of said coupler, said inlet port for being communicably and releasably interengaged by a leading light output end of the fiberoptic cable, said outlet port for being releasably and communicably interengaged by a light carrier composed of a light conducting and projecting material;
• and
• a retractor blade assembly releasably interengaged with a receptacle formed in a leading end of said handle and in communication with said channel of said handle, said retractor blade assembly including a mounting collar received by said receptacle of said handle, said mounting collar having an interior slot for removably receiving said light carrier such that an inlet end of said light carrier extends from said mounting collar and is releasably interengageable with said outlet of said optical coupler within said handle;
• said retractor blade assembly also including a retractor blade and a holder section interconnecting said mounting collar and said retractor blade, said holder section having a conduit for accommodating an intermediate light transmitting portion of said light carrier therein;
• and said light projecting portion of said light carrier engaging and being secured to said retractor blade;
• whereby the fiberoptic illuminator is operated to transmit light through said fiberoptic cable and to said light carrier through said optical coupler such that said light projecting portion of said light carrier projects light onto a surgical site with which said retractor blade is engaged.

An illuminated surgical retractor system for use with a fiberoptic illuminator, said system comprising:

• a light conducting fiberoptic cable that is attachable at a light input end to the fiberoptic illuminator;
• an optical coupler receivable within said channel, said optical coupler having inlet and outlet ports and an interior bore that communicably interconnects said inlet and outlet ports, said inlet port for being communicably and releasably interengaged by a light output end of the fiberoptic cable;
• a retractor blade assembly releasably interengaged with a receptacle formed in said handle, said receptacle communicating with said channel formed through said handle;
• and
• a light carrier for attaching to said retractor blade assembly, said light carrier including a light inlet section that is communicably and releasably interengageable with said output port of said optical coupler and a light projecting portion communicably connected to said light inlet section, the fiberoptic illuminator being operated to transmit light through the fiberoptic cable and through said optical coupler to said light inlet section of said light carrier such that said light projecting portion of said light carrier projects light onto a surgical site with which said retractor blade is engaged.