Patent ID: 8652154

Claim:
A surgical access device having a longitudinal axis and permitting a surgeon to access repeatedly tissue at a particular surgical site in a patient to perform multiple surgeries over time, the device comprising: first and second substantially planar leaves that are sterile, nonresorbable, and biocompatible, each leaf forming a continuous structure between distal and proximal ends along a longitudinal length, each leaf lying in parallel along the longitudinal axis of the device, each leaf defining the entire longitudinal length of the device to accommodate the size and location of the particular surgical site, and each leaf having areas of higher porosity and areas of lesser porosity, wherein the distal ends of the leaves are freely movable; a base member formed from at least one of, or as a separate structure secured to at least one of, the distal ends of the planar leaves, the base member adapted to be located in situ and adjacent the surgical site; and an anchoring surface located on at least one of the leaves or on the base member, the anchoring surface securing the device to the tissue of the patient at the surgical site; the leaves being conjoined along the longitudinal length of the leaves to form a conjoined portion such that a manual force is required to separate the leaves, thereby expeditiously creating a space or pathway through which access to the tissue at the surgical site is realized with minimal tissue dissection, and the proximal ends of the leaves are not conjoined to facilitate separation of the leaves and creation of the space or pathway.