Surgical retractor

1. A method of positioning an artery during surgery comprising the steps of:

positioning a retaining element at a surgical site with a stabilizer having a frame that is attached to the retaining element with a support arm, the retaining element extending over a first artery and having an aperture that exposes a portion of the first artery at the surgical site;

positioning a connector under a portion of the first artery;

connecting the connector to the retaining element, the connector being frictionally attached to a slot in a holder extending above an upper surface of the retaining element, to occlude the first artery at a first arterial position at a first side of the surgical site and occluding the first artery at a second arterial position at a second side of the surgical site; and

attaching a second artery to the first artery at the surgical site.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising sizing the aperture to have a length that ranges from 1 to 3 cm and a width that ranges from 5 to 15 mm.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the retaining element having a longitudinal dimension comprising raised sidewall elements disposed along the longitudinal dimension.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing the raised sidewall elements having a plurality of slots to frictionally grip an end of the connector.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the retaining element having a first, a second, a third and a fourth corner, at least one corner having a gradually thinner cross-section to provide a downward slope for fluid drainage during a procedure.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the retaining element having a bottom surface comprising a plurality of slots to allow for the placement of the connector under or over the retractor to position tissue at the surgical site within the retractor aperture.

7. The method of claim 1 providing the retaining element having a bottom surface having portions that are curved and extend a distance downwardly parallel to a lengthwise dimensions of the aperture to retain the retractor in a desired position.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the retaining element having a plurality of separable sections.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising providing the separable sections having a plurality of tabs which extend between said sections.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a retaining element that is optically transmissive.

11. A method of positioning a coronary artery during bypass surgery comprising the steps of:

positioning a retaining base at a surgical site with a stabilizer having a frame and a support arm, the retaining base being connected to the frame with the support arm and having a first element and a second element which surround an aperture that exposes the coronary artery at the surgical site;

connecting the coronary artery at the surgical site to the retaining base with a cord, the cord being frictionally engaged with a first slot and a second slot on the retaining base;

grafting a second artery onto the exposed coronary artery positioned in the aperture; and

separating the first element and the second element to remove the base from the site.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising sizing the aperture to have a length that ranges from 1 to 3 cm and a width that ranges from 5 to 15 mm.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the retaining base having a longitudinal dimension comprising raised sidewall elements disposed along the longitudinal dimension.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing the raised sidewall elements having a plurality of slots to frictionally grip an end of the cord.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the retaining base having a first, a second, a third and a fourth corner, at least one corner having a gradually thinner cross-section to provide a downward slope for fluid drainage during a procedure.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the retaining base having a bottom surface comprising a plurality of slots to allow for the placement of the cord under or over the retractor to position tissue at the surgical site within the retractor aperture.

17. The method of claim 11 providing the retaining base having a bottom surface having portions that are curved and extend a distance downwardly parallel to a lengthwise dimension of the aperture to retain the retractor in a desired position.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the retaining base having a plurality of separable sections.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising providing the separable sections having a plurality of tabs which extend between said sections.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing a retaining base that is optically transmissive.

21. A method of positioning an artery during surgery comprising the steps of:

positioning a retaining element at a surgical site with a stabilizer having a frame that is attached to the retaining element with a support arm, the retaining element extending over a first artery and having an aperture that exposes a portion of the first artery at the surgical site;

positioning a cord under a portion of the first artery;

occluding fluid flow in the first artery with the cord by compressing the first artery between the cord and a surface; and

attaching a second artery to the first artery at the surgical site.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing the retaining element having a longitudinal dimension comprising raised sidewall elements disposed along the longitudinal dimension.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing the raised sidewall elements having a plurality of slots to frictionally grip an end of the connector.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing the retaining element having a first, a second, a third and a fourth corner, at least one corner having a gradually thinner cross-section to provide a downward slope for fluid drainage during a procedure.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing the retaining element having a plurality of separable sections.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing a retaining element that is optically transmissive.