SURGICAL RETRACTOR

1 . A surgical retractor comprising:

a retractor frame;

a plurality of blades for engaging tissue, the plurality of blades defining a longitudinal blade axis through the retractor frame; and

a coupling arrangement carried by the retractor frame and releasably coupling a first blade of the plurality of blades with the retractor frame through translation of the first blade in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the coupling arrangement including a first driving member configured to activate translation of the coupling arrangement in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal blade axis.

2 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the coupling arrangement is operative to selectively allow translation of the first blade relative to the coupling arrangement along the longitudinal axis of the first blade.

3 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , the first blade includes a connector portion and wherein the coupling arrangement includes a first arm and a second arm biased into engagement with the connector portion.

4 . The surgical retractor of claim 3 , wherein the biasing member is integrally formed with the first and second arms.

5 . The surgical retractor of claim 3 , wherein the connector portion slidably engages the first and second arms for translation along the longitudinal axis.

6 . The surgical retractor of claim 5 , wherein the coupling arrangement includes a locking member for selectively preventing translation of the connector portion relative to the first and second arms.

7 . The surgical retractor of claim 6 , wherein the locking member is rotatably mounted to the connector element for rotation between a locked position and an unlocked position.

8 . The surgical retractor of claim 7 , wherein the first and second arms are biasingly engaged with the locking member in the locked position and are spaced apart from the locking member in the unlocked configuration.

9 . The surgical retractor of claim 7 , wherein the locking member is rotatable about an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

10 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the coupling arrangement is movably coupled to the retractor frame for translation along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first driving member engages a second driving member to enable translation of the coupling arrangement along the second axis relative to the retractor frame.

11 . The surgical retractor of claim 2 , wherein the coupling arrangement cooperates with the first blade to limit translation of the first blade in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

12 . A surgical retractor comprising:

a retractor frame;

a plurality of blades for engaging tissue, each blade including a mounting portion having a pair of blade arms and the plurality of blades defining a longitudinal axis through the retractor frame; and

a coupling arrangement carried by the retractor frame and releasably coupling a first blade of the plurality of blades with the retractor frame through translation of the first blade in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the coupling arrangement including a pair of coupling arms moveable relative to one another in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first blade, the coupling arrangement further including a first driving member rotatably engaging portions of the coupling arrangement to activate movement of the coupling arrangement.

13 . The surgical retractor of claim 12 , wherein the coupling arrangement further includes a biasing member for biasing the coupling arms relative to one another.

14 . The surgical retractor of claim 13 , wherein the biasing member biases the coupling arms away from one another.

15 . The surgical retractor of claim 12 , wherein the coupling arms are moveable relative to one another between a first orientation for receiving the first blade in the direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a second orientation for retaining the first blade.

16 . The surgical retractor of claim 15 , wherein the coupling arrangement further includes a locking mechanism for locking the coupling arms in the second orientation.

17 . The surgical retractor of claim 13 , wherein the biasing member is a leaf spring.

18 . A surgical retractor comprising:

a retractor frame;

a plurality of blades for engaging tissue, each blade defining a longitudinal axis and including a mounting portion having a pair of blade arms; and

a corresponding plurality of coupling arrangements carried by the retractor frame, each coupling arrangement operative to releasably couple a corresponding blade of the plurality of blades with the retractor frame through translation of the corresponding blade in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding blade, wherein the translation of each coupling arrangement of the plurality of coupling arrangements is activated through rotation of a corresponding plurality of first driving members, each first driving member associated with a coupling arrangement of the plurality of coupling arrangements.

19 . The surgical retractor of claim 18 , wherein each coupling arrangement includes a first coupling arm and a second coupling arm, and wherein the first coupling arm is moveable relative to the second coupling arm in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each blade.

20 . The surgical retractor of claim 19 , wherein the first and second coupling arms are biased into engagement with the mounting portion.