A system for performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure comprising a plurality of surgical access ports (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210) comprising: a) an elongated body (118, 720, 920, 1518, 2718, 3318, 3618, 3918, 4218, 5100) with opposed proximal and distal end portions, the body (118, 720, 920, 1518, 2718, 3318, 3618, 3918, 4218, 5100) having a central lumen (106, 1006, 1506, 1706, 2006, 2406) extending therethrough and having a resilient bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) formed between the proximal and distal end portions thereof, wherein the resilient bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) is adapted and configured to transition between a first condition in which the bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) has a first diameter and a first length and a second condition in which the bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter and a second length that is greater than the first length; and b) a telescoping guide tube assembly disposed within the central lumen (106, 1006, 1506, 1706, 2006, 2406) of the body (118, 720, 920, 1518, 2718, 3318, 3618, 3918, 4218, 5100), wherein the guide tube assembly is adapted and configured to transition between a first length corresponding to the first condition of the bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) and a second length corresponding to the second condition of the bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128), characterized in that the system for performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure comprises a plurality of said surgical access ports (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210), wherein at least one of the surgical access ports (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210) has an overall length longer than at least one of the other surgical access ports (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210) provided in the system to facilitate adjacent nesting between the plurality of access ports (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210), wherein the longer surgical access port (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210) is longer than the shorter surgical access port (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210) by an amount sufficient to allow the longer access port (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210) to remain with the bulb in the first condition while sitting beyond the shorter surgical access port (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210) by a distance sufficient to allow a proximal end portion of the shorter surgical access port (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210) to nest below the proximal end portion of the longer surgical access port (110, 700a,b, 800, 900, 900a,b, 1010, 1410, 1710, 2010, 2410, 2510, 2610, 2710, 3310, 3610, 3910, 4210). a) an elongated body (118, 720, 920, 1518, 2718, 3318, 3618, 3918, 4218, 5100) with opposed proximal and distal end portions, the body (118, 720, 920, 1518, 2718, 3318, 3618, 3918, 4218, 5100) having a central lumen (106, 1006, 1506, 1706, 2006, 2406) extending therethrough and having a resilient bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) formed between the proximal and distal end portions thereof, wherein the resilient bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) is adapted and configured to transition between a first condition in which the bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) has a first diameter and a first length and a second condition in which the bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter and a second length that is greater than the first length; and b) a telescoping guide tube assembly disposed within the central lumen (106, 1006, 1506, 1706, 2006, 2406) of the body (118, 720, 920, 1518, 2718, 3318, 3618, 3918, 4218, 5100), wherein the guide tube assembly is adapted and configured to transition between a first length corresponding to the first condition of the bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128) and a second length corresponding to the second condition of the bulb portion (105, 719, 729, 1005, 1705, 2005, 2405, 2505, 2705, 3305, 3605, 3905, 4205, 5128),