A SURGICAL ACCESS SYSTEM

A surgical access system (1) adapted to facilitate access to a surgical site through an incision in a patient's body by opening the incision, comprises a supporting ring (2), a radially adjustable saddle-shaped retractor (3, 17) configured to cup and manually retract a section of abdominal tissue at the incision, and coupling elements (20) configured for retrofitting each of the radially adjustable saddle-shaped retractors to the supporting ring in a tissue-retracting position. The system (1) is adapted to facilitate access to a neonate through a Caesarean incision in the patient's abdomen. The supporting ring is dimensioned to allow delivery of a neonate through the ring and comprises a non-adjustable saddle-shaped retractor (7) fixed to the supporting ring and an outwardly projecting handle (8) fixed to the supporting ring adjacent the fixed saddle-shaped retractor (7). The non-adjustable saddle-shaped retractor is a pelvic region retractor configured to cover and hold back the woman's bladder during a caesarean section. The coupling element for the radially adjustable saddle-shaped retractor comprises a first formation disposed on a top of the supporting ring and a corresponding second formation on the retractor configured for coupling with the first formation, wherein the formations are configured to allow the retractor pitch and/or yaw relative to the supporting ring when the retractor is fitted to the ring in a tissue retracting position.