Surgical retractor and method of retracting

A method of retracting a portion of a patient's body to carry out a surgical procedure, the method comprising steps of:

• positioning first and second retractor blades against opposite sides of an incision formed in a patient's body, the first and second retractor blades being coupled to a frame member so as to be relatively movable toward or away from each other along a first axis;
• coupling at least one foot to the frame member so as to be adjustable with respect to the frame member in a linear direction along an axis which is transverse to the first axis, the foot having a support surface configured to rest against a surface of the patient's body adjacent the incision;
• adjusting the relative position of the foot with respect to the frame member along said linear direction and fixing the foot in a position at which the support surface of the foot rests against the surface of the patient's body adjacent the incision;
• and
• imparting relative movement to the first and second blades to simultaneously move the blades apart along the first axis and lift one side of the incision with respect to the other side of the incision.

A rib retractor for spreading apart first and second ribs to create and opening in the patient's chest, comprising:

• a frame;
• a first blade coupled to the frame;
• a second blade coupled to the frame, the second blade being movable toward and away from the first blade, the second blade having a rotatable connector which permits rotation of the second blade relative to the frame;
• an actuator for moving at least one of the first and second blades toward the other of the first and second blades;
• a foot coupled to at least one of the frame and the first and second blades, the foot having a support surface configured to engage the surface of the patient's chest when lifting the second rib with the second blade;
• and
• a locking mechanism which selectively permits and prevents rotation of the rotatable connector, the locking mechanism being movable between a locked position, in which rotation of the rotatable connector is prevented, and an unlocked position, in which rotation of the rotatable connector is permitted, the locking mechanism being in the locked position for spreading the first and second ribs apart without lifting the second rib, the locking mechanism being in the unlocked position to permit rotation of the rotatable connector for spreading the first and second ribs apart and lifting the second rib.