A versatile retractor for use in harvesting the internal mammary artery and performing standard cardiac operations

A versatile retractor is described that can be used to harvest either mammary artery without disturbing the operative field and can be converted to a standard sternotomy retractor. It uses the principle of elevating the cut sternal edge and applying external pressure to the area of the costochrondal junction to rotate the mammary pedicle into view. We have used this retractor and found it to be very efficient in exposing the mammary pedicle while being atraumatic to the sternum.