Apparatus and methods for off-pump cardiac surgery

The invention provides an apparatus for performing surgery on a heart of a patient comprising a first arm, a second arm and an actuator, the actuator moving the first arm relative to the second arm. The apparatus further includes a first blade on the first arm and a second blade on the second arm, the first and second blades having first and second surfaces facing away from each other, the first and second surfaces being adapted to atraumatically engage tissue or bone for the retraction thereof. The apparatus also includes a stabilizer adapted to be mounted to one of the first and second arms and having a foot, the foot being configured to atraumatically engage the surface of the heart. In a various embodiments, the apparatus includes removable blades mounted to the arms, suture stays removably mounted to the arms, and multiple rails for mounting the stabilizer in various positions.