Surgical retractor with removable scissor arms

1. A retractor comprising:

a frame;

a first collar arm and a second collar arm;

an actuator attached to said frame, said actuator adapted to cause simultaneous motion of said first collar arm and said second collar arm;

a first blade and a second blade, each having a proximal end, and a distal end; and

an elastic sheath;

wherein

said first and said second collar arms are each pivotally and translationally coupled to said frame;

said first blade is connected to said first collar arm;

said second blade is connected to said second collar arm;

said distal end of said first blade is adapted to move away from said distal end of said second blade; and

said elastic sheath surrounds at least a portion of said first blade and said second blade, and expands upon movement of said distal end of said first blade away from said distal end of said second blade.

2. The retractor of claim 1 , wherein said actuator facilitates moving said distal end of said first blade away from said distal end of said second blade.

3. The retractor of claim 2 , wherein said actuator comprises a screw in a housing.

4. The retractor of claim 3 , wherein said actuator further comprises a ball cooperatively arranged with said screw.

5. The retractor of claim 1 , wherein said first collar arm is pivotally connected to said second collar arm.

6. The retractor of claim 1 , wherein said first collar arm is connected to said proximal end of said first blade, and said second collar arm is connected to said proximal end of said second blade.

7. The retractor of claim 1 , wherein said first and said second blades each have an arcuate cross-section, and said first and said second blades are arranged such that said arcuate cross-sections of said first and said second blades face each other thereby forming a passage therebetween.

8. The retractor of claim 1 , wherein said elastic sheath is at least partially transparent or translucent.

9. A retractor comprising:

a frame;

a first collar arm and a second collar arm;

an actuator, said actuator adapted to cause simultaneous motion of said first collar arm and said second collar arm; and

a first blade and a second blade, each having a proximal end, and a distal end;

wherein

said actuator comprises a screw in a housing and a ball in communication with said screw, and at least a portion of said actuator is part of said frame;

said first blade is connected to said first collar arm;

said second blade is connected to said second collar arm;

said first and said second collar arms are each pivotally and translationally coupled to said frame; and

said retractor has an unexpanded position defined by said distal end of said first blade being closer to said distal end of said second blade; and

an expanded position defined by said distal end of said first blade being farther away from said distal end of said second blade.

10. The retractor of claim 9 , wherein translational movement of said screw causes translational movement of said ball, which causes said retractor to move from said unexpanded position to said expanded position.

11. A retractor comprising:

a frame having a middle portion and first and second outer ends;

a first collar arm and a second collar arm, each having a top side, a bottom side, an outer portion and a central portion;

a first blade and a second blade, each having a proximal end, a distal end, a peripheral portion and an inner portion; and

an elastic sheath at least partially surrounding said first and said second blades

wherein

said outer portion of said first collar arm is pivotally and translationally coupled to said frame;

said outer portion of said second collar arm is pivotally and translationally coupled to said frame;

said central portion of said first collar arm is rotatably coupled to said central portion of said second collar arm through a coupling such that a hinge axis is formed through said coupling;

said proximal end of said first blade is connected to said first collar arm;

said proximal end of said second blade is connected to said second collar arm;

and wherein

said hinge axis is adapted to move distally while said outer portions of said first and second collar arms translate toward said middle portion of said frame and rotate with respect to said frame, in order to facilitate increasing a distance between said distal ends of said first and second blades.

12. The retractor of claim 11 , wherein said sheath is at least partially transparent or translucent.

13. A retractor comprising:

a frame having a middle portion and first and second outer ends;

a first collar arm and a second collar arm, each having a top side, a bottom side, an outer portion and a central portion;

a first blade and a second blade, each having a proximal end, a distal end, a peripheral portion and an inner portion; and

an actuator adapted to move said hinge axis distally, said actuator comprises a screw rotatably arranged in a housing and a ball in communication with said screw;

wherein

said outer portion of said first collar arm is pivotally and translationally coupled to said frame;

said outer portion of said second collar arm is pivotally and translationally coupled to said frame;

said central portion of said first collar arm is rotatably coupled to said central portion of said second collar arm through a coupling such that a hinge axis is formed through said coupling;

said proximal end of said first blade is connected to said first collar arm;

said proximal end of said second blade is connected to said second collar arm;

and wherein

said hinge axis is adapted to move distally while said outer portions of said first and second collar arms translate toward said middle portion of said frame and rotate with respect to said frame, in order to facilitate increasing a distance between said distal ends of said first and second blades.