Mitral valve retractor with side malleable retract feature and universal adjuster

A retraction apparatus increases flexibility of retracting tissues around a surgical site, such as during cardiac surgery including mitral valve repair or other surgical procedures. A holder is configured to mount to a fixed rail such as a sternal retractor. A rake element comprises a strap segment having a proximal end slidably received in a slot in the holder. The rake element has a primary rake finger at a distal end of the strap segment configured to grasp and retract tissue at a surgical site and a sub-finger extending perpendicularly via a bendable wing from a side of the primary rake finger adapted to retract adjacent tissue around the surgical site.