Disposable delicate tissue retractor

Claim 2

A soft tissue retractor comprised of blades, a body member and a locking means, said body member having first and second end regions and being curved so as to enclose an area, with said first and second end regions adjacently disposed in overlapping relationship with respect to each other, said body member including integral therewith two adjacent generally coplanar elongated members extending therefrom generally in the plane of said body member, and extending from one side of said body member; said elongated members each supporting one of said blades near the outer end of said elongated member; said blades being disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said elongated members and adapted to retract soft tissue; said locking means including means to retain said first and second end regions in any of a plurality of relative dispositions whereby said blades may be retained at any of a selection of separations.

Claim 3

The retractor of claim 1 wherein said body member further includes two finger grips extending from whereby finger pressure may be applied to said finger grips to encourage said blades to different separations.

Claim 4

The retractor of claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a separate member adapted to engage with said end regions.

Claim 5

The retractor of claim 1 wherein said blades are detachable from said elongated members and said blades and said elongated members contain mating surfaces, said mating surfaces being adapted to allow said blades and said elongated members to be pushed together and retained, one to the other.

Claim 6

The retractor of claim 1 wherein one blade includes at least one hook-like protrusion to locate with respect to bone structure.

Claim 7

The retractor of claim 1 further comprised of gauze-like pads on said blades, said gauze-like pads having an adhesive backing to adhere to said blades, wherein said gauze-like pads substantially fully surround the portion of each of said blades which is adapted to retract soft tissue, said pads being constructed in the form of an envelope and being open only at one edge to facilitate the placement of said pads on the blades and to allow the protrusion of The portion of said blades that connects with said elongated members.

Claim 8

The retractor of claim 1 wherein said retractor is constructed of plastic.

Claim 9

The retractor of claim 1 wherein said body member has cooperatively disposed toothed regions adjacent its said ends and means for elastically encouraging said toothed regions to mate to retain said blades at any of a selection of separations.

Claim 10

A soft tissue retractor comprised of two blades, a body member and a locking means, said body member being a ring member having two adjacent generally coplanar elongated members extending therefrom generally in the plane of said body member, and extending from one side of said body member; said elongated members each supporting one of said blades near the outer end of said elongated member; said blades being disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said elongated members and adapted to retract soft tissue; said ring member having a tongue member forming a portion of the arc of said ring member and extending between two mating members of said ring member; said mating members also forming a portion of the arc of said ring member; said tongue member and said mating members each having a plurality of holes therein; said holes being disposed so as to form at least one continuous hole through said tongue member and said mating members at a plurality of separations of said blades; said locking means including at least one pin member, said pin member being adapted for insertion into a continuous hole through said tongue member and said mating members to lock said blades at any of said plurality of separations.

Claim 11

A soft tissue retractor comprised of two blades, a body member and a locking means, said body member being a ring member having two adjacent generally coplanar elongated members extending therefrom generally in the plane of said body member, and extending from one side of said body member; said elongated members each supporting one of said blades near the outer end of said elongated member; said blades being disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said elongated members and adapted to retract soft tissue; said ring member having a tongue member forming a portion of the arc of said ring member and extending between two mating members of said ring member; said mating members also forming a portion of the arc of said ring member; said tongue member and said mating members each having a plurality of holes therein; said holes being disposed so as to form at least one continuous hole through said tongue member and said mating members at a plurality of separations of said blades; said locking means including at least one pin member, said pin member being adapted for insertion into a continuous hole through said tongue member and said mating members to lock said blades at any of said plurality of separations.

Claim 12

The retractor of claim 9 wherein said body member elastically encourages said blades to greater separations, said body member further including two fingers grips extending therefrom whereby finger pressure may be applied to said finger grips to encourage said blades to smaller separations.

Claim 13

A soft tissue retractor comprised of two blades and a body member, said body member having first and second ends and being curved so as to enclose an area with its ends overlapping, said body member having two adjacent generally coplanar elongated members extending therefrom generally in the plane of said body member, and extending from one side of said body member; said elongated members each supporting one of said blades near the outer end of said elongated members; said blades being disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axes of said elongated members and adapted to retract soft tissue; said body member having cooperatively disposed toothed regions adjacent its said ends, and means for elastically encouraging said toothed regions to mate to retain said blades at any of a selection of separations.

Claim 14

A soft tissue retractor comprised of two blades and a body member, said body member having first and second ends and being curved so as to enclose an area with its ends overlapping, said body member having two adjacent generally coplanar elongated members extending therefrom generally in the plane of said body member, and extending from one side of said body member; said elongated members each supporting one of said blades near the outer end of said elongated members; said blades being disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axes of said elongated members and adapted to retract soft tissue; said body member having cooperatively disposed toothed regions adjacent its said ends, and means for elastically encouraging said toothed regions to mate to retain said blades at any of a selection of separations.

Claim 15

The soft tissue retractor of claim 11 wherein said teeth are inclined to provide means to allow movement of said retractor blades to greater separations and to prevent substantial movement of said retractor blades to lesser separations without elastically and separately forcing said toothed regions out of engagement.

Claim 16

The retractor of claim 11 wherein said body member further includes two extending finger grips whereby finger pressure may be applied to said finger grips to encourage said blades to increased separations.

Claim 17

The retractor of claim 11 wherein said body member further includes two extending release grips whereby finger pressure may be applied to said release grips to encourage said toothed regions into separation.

Claim 18

The retractor of claim 11 wherein the portion of said body member between said elongated arms comprises means elastically encouraging said retractor blades to lesser separations.

Claim 19

The retractor of claim 11 wherein said blades are detachable from said elongated members and said blades and said elongated members contain mating surfaces, said mating surfaces being adapted to allow said blades and said elongated members tO be pushed together and retained, one to the other.

Claim 20

The retractor of claim 11 wherein one blade include at least one hook-like protrusion to locate with respect to bone structure.

Claim 21

The retractor of claim 11 further comprised of gauze-like pads on said blades, said gauze-like pads having an adhesive backing to adhere to said blades, wherein said gauze-like pads substantially fully surround the portion of each of said blades which is adapted to retract soft tissue, said pads being constructed in the form of an envelope and being open only at one end to facilitate the placement of said pads on the blades and to allow the protrusion of the portion of said blades that connects with said elongated members.

Claim 22

The retractor of claim 11 wherein said retractor is constructed of plastic.