a novel surgical retractor is provided including a handle assembly , a housing and a collapsible retractor assembly connected to a distal end of the housing . the handle assembly includes a stationary handle in cooperation with an actuating structure for manipulating the collapsible retractor assembly through the housing . the handle assembly may be configured in a variety of forms including palm grips , pistol grips , axial grips , ring grips , etc . the housing includes a tubular structure having an inner tube axially disposed within an outer tube . the outer tube is fixed in the stationary handle with the inner tube passing through the outer tube and connected to the actuating structure . where desired , either the outer or inner tube may be rotatably attached to the stationary handle . the retractor assembly is attached to the distal end of the housing and includes a reciprocal yoke assembly interconnected with a plurality of collapsible interleaved retractor blades . one element of the yoke assembly is typically maintained stationary while the other is allowed to reciprocate axially to deploy the interleaved retractor blades into a fan configuration .