Retractor

The invention is a sternal retractor comprising a pair of arms each of which includes a downward extending blade, and one of which includes a proximal portion and a distal portion pivotally mounted on the proximal portion, a curved cross bar on which said arms are disposed so that in use the retractor can open the bottom of the sternum wider than the top of the sternum to minimize damage to the upper ribs and numbness, which sometimes occurs in the hands of open chest surgery patients. The retractor also has applications within other surgical procedures, as well, for the same general purpose of providing an opening of varying size along the length of an incision.