A rake retractor for use in minimally invasive medical procedures such as laparoscopic surgery includes a handle shaft, rake prongs, and end configurations that can be used to move elements within a body cavity. The prongs of the rake retractor are biased to an open position such that when the rake prongs extend out of the needle they open, and they are closed by relative movement of the needle over them. The end configurations are offset so that they may be compactly brought together within the narrow space of a needle having a diameter typically not greater than 2.5 mm.
