US Patent 6869398 Four-blade surgical speculum

A speculum system with four blades is provided. The blades project in approximately the same direction, and each blade is connected to a handle linearly or at an angle. The handles are coupled together. In one embodiment, the distance between the blades is changeable so that a field of view defined as the viewable area between the blades can be increased or decreased. In another embodiment, the blades include texture, such as ribs, holes or teeth to grip onto surrounding muscle fiber. In yet another embodiment, a stabilizing arm attaches to a stabilizing object, such as a table or heavy or immovable object, and to one of the handles to stabilize the speculum system.