Support apparatus for a medical retractor device

An endoscopic surgical tissue retractor, comprising:

• a first blade having a first contact surface;
• a second blade having a second contact surface, the first contact surface and the second contact surface being parallel;
• a clevis being rotatably coupled to the first blade and the second blade such that the second blade can be rotated relative to the first blade between a first orientation and a second orientation about an axis that is perpendicular to the first contact surface and the second contact surface;
• and
• a flexible contact member coupled to a first removable connector and a second removable connector, the first removable connector is configured to be removably mated to the first blade and has an inner height sized to form a retention member between the first removable connector and the first blade and the second removable connector is configured to be removably mated to the second blade and has an inner height sized such that a retention member is formed between second removable connector and the second blade,
• the flexible contact member being movable between a collapsed configuration when the second blade is in the first orientation and an expanded configuration when the second blade is in the second orientation,
• wherein the first blade, the second blade, and the flexible contact member each collapse such that the first blade, the second blade, and the flexible contact member are configured to advance through a cannula.