A surgical retractor device holds back underlying tissue from a tissue wall when suturing through the tissue wall with a suture passer. The retractor device comprises a barrier material having an upper barrier surface for spanning between the tissue wall and the underlying tissue and which is resistant to being punctured by the suture passer. The barrier material is operable between a working position in which the upper barrier surface occupies a first prescribed area and can be positioned between the tissue wall and the underlying tissue, and a collapsed position in which the barrier material is manipulated relative to the working position such that the upper barrier surface occupies a second prescribed area that is less than the first prescribed area such that the barrier material can pass through an incision in the tissue wall.
