A surgical retractor for retracting body tissue in a therapeutic procedure includes a blade having a body portion and a plurality of elongate elements extending from the body portion. The plurality of elongate elements is separated a distance from one another along a length of the body portion and form one or more gaps therebetween. The plurality of elongate elements is connected by one or more cross connectors transverse to the plurality of elongate elements. The retractor blade is configured to permit movement of a lung being retracted.
