Patent ID: 9636142
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A surgical access apparatus for positioning within an incision in tissue to facilitate access to an underlying surgical site, the surgical access apparatus comprising: a housing configured to removably receive at least one surgical object; an elongated member including a tubular braid formed of a mesh of fibers, the elongated member having proximal and distal ends and defining a longitudinal axis, the elongated member extending distally from the housing and defining an axial lumen configured to allow the at least one surgical object to pass therethrough, the elongated member being adapted to transition from a first extended condition, in which the elongated member is configured for at least partial insertion within the incision, and a second compressed condition, in which the elongated member defines a tissue engaging portion configured to facilitate anchoring of the elongated member relative to the incision, wherein, when in the second compressed condition, the tissue engaging portion is expanded to define a transverse dimension orthogonal to the longitudinal axis greater than a corresponding transverse dimension of the entire remaining portion of the elongated member, the tissue engaging portion being spaced along the longitudinal axis relative to the distal end of the elongated member; and at least one flexible filament secured to the elongated member and extending proximally relative thereto, the at least one filament being dimensioned such that drawing the at least one filament proximally transitions the elongated member from the first extended condition to the second compressed condition.