The invention relates to a stretching device for stretching an abdominal wall (1) at an opening (2) of said abdominal wall, comprising tensioning elements (5) which have a securing means (8; 10) by mean of which the tensioning elements can be detachably secured to the abdominal wall (1) at an edge of said opening (2). A frame (3) is provided which can be positioned over the opening (2) and holds the tensioning elements (5) under a tensile force (Z). The plurality of tensioning elements (5) are distributed one relative to another around the frame so as to transmit the tensile force around the edge of the opening to the abdominal wall (1) in a distributed manner.
