ILLUMINATED SURGICAL RETRACTOR

1 . A surgical retractor, comprising:

a blade molded from a polymer having at least a predetermined flexural modulus;

a handle extending from the blade,

wherein the blade has a length of 50 mm to 150 mm and a predetermined thickness such that the blade does not interfere with a user's work space in an operating cavity, and

wherein, the blade, being molded from the polymer, is capable of withstanding more than 30 lbs of force applied to its distal tip without breaking.

2 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined flexural modulus is at least 17 Gpa.

3 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the blade has a concave surface.

4 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the polymer has a predetermined flexural strength of at least 375 Mpa.

5 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a glass-fiber reinforced polymer.

6 . The surgical retractor of claim 5 , wherein the polymer is at least 50 wt % glass-fiber reinforced polymer.

7 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic crystalline polymer.

8 . The surgical retractor of claim 7 , wherein the polymer is a thermoplastic crystalline polymer of aromatic diamines and aromatic dicarboxylic anhydrides.

9 . The surgical retractor of claim 7 , wherein the polymer is polyarylamide.

10 . The surgical retractor of claim 9 , wherein the polymer is at least 50 wt % glass-fiber reinforced polyarylamide.

11 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the polymer has an impact strength of at least 100 J/M.

12 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined thickness is 2 mm.

13 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises a nonconductive material that limits currents to less than 10 −6 A.

14 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a radiolucent polymer.

15 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , further comprising a deepened portion connecting a proximal end of the blade to the handle, wherein the deepened portion increases in depth from the proximal end of the blade toward the handle.

16 . The surgical retractor of claim 15 , wherein the blade, the deepened portion and the handle are integrally molded from the polymer.

17 . The surgical retractor of claim 15 , wherein the deepened portion includes flanges along its sides, said flanges tapering in a direction of the blade.

18 . The surgical retractor of claim 15 , wherein the blade and the deepened portion have a concave surface.

19 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , wherein the blade, being molded from the polymer, deforms less than 10 mm under 15 lbs of force applied thereto.

20 . The surgical retractor of claim 1 , further comprising an illumination assembly including at least one direct light source, said blade being configured to accommodate the at least one direct light source.