A surgical access device for use in laparoscopic procedures comprising: a) a proximal housing portion including an annular nozzle assembly, a gas supply plenum communicating with an upstream side of the annular nozzle assembly, a gas return plenum communicating with a downstream side of the annular nozzle assembly, and a pressure sensing plenum isolated from the annular nozzle assembly, the gas supply plenum and the gas return plenum; b) an elongated tubular body portion extending distally from the proximal housing portion and defining a central lumen communicating with the downstream side of the annular nozzle assembly and with the gas return plenum; characterized by: c) a telescopic cannula assembly operatively associated with the elongated tubular body portion and including a proximal section arranged coaxially within the tubular body portion and a distal section coaxially supported within the proximal section and mounted for movement with respect to the proximal section between a retracted position and an extended position; and d) an elastomeric sheath operatively associated with the telescopic cannula assembly and having a radially enlarged distal anchor portion for securing the surgical access device with respect to the abdominal wall of a patient during a laparoscopic surgical procedure when the distal section of the telescopic cannula assembly is in the retracted position, wherein the pressure sensing plenum is in fluid communication with a pressure sensing and insufflation pathway formed within the tubular body portion, wherein: the pressure sensing and insufflation pathway further extends between an outer wall of the distal section of the telescopic cannula assembly and an inner wall of the elastomeric sheath, and the pressure sensing and insufflation pathway communicates with a central lumen of the distal section of the telescoping cannula assembly through a plurality of apertures formed in the distal end portion thereof. a) a proximal housing portion including an annular nozzle assembly, a gas supply plenum communicating with an upstream side of the annular nozzle assembly, a gas return plenum communicating with a downstream side of the annular nozzle assembly, and a pressure sensing plenum isolated from the annular nozzle assembly, the gas supply plenum and the gas return plenum; b) an elongated tubular body portion extending distally from the proximal housing portion and defining a central lumen communicating with the downstream side of the annular nozzle assembly and with the gas return plenum; c) a telescopic cannula assembly operatively associated with the elongated tubular body portion and including a proximal section arranged coaxially within the tubular body portion and a distal section coaxially supported within the proximal section and mounted for movement with respect to the proximal section between a retracted position and an extended position; and d) an elastomeric sheath operatively associated with the telescopic cannula assembly and having a radially enlarged distal anchor portion for securing the surgical access device with respect to the abdominal wall of a patient during a laparoscopic surgical procedure when the distal section of the telescopic cannula assembly is in the retracted position, wherein the pressure sensing plenum is in fluid communication with a pressure sensing and insufflation pathway formed within the tubular body portion, wherein: the pressure sensing and insufflation pathway further extends between an outer wall of the distal section of the telescopic cannula assembly and an inner wall of the elastomeric sheath, and the pressure sensing and insufflation pathway communicates with a central lumen of the distal section of the telescoping cannula assembly through a plurality of apertures formed in the distal end portion thereof. the pressure sensing and insufflation pathway further extends between an outer wall of the distal section of the telescopic cannula assembly and an inner wall of the elastomeric sheath, and the pressure sensing and insufflation pathway communicates with a central lumen of the distal section of the telescoping cannula assembly through a plurality of apertures formed in the distal end portion thereof.