Patent ID: 8753267

Claim:
A surgical access system comprising: an inflatable port having a proximal portion, a body portion, and a distal portion, the inflatable port transitionable between a first state and a second state, the first state defined by the proximal portion having a diameter greater than a diameter of the body portion and a diameter of the distal portion such that the inflatable port has a tapered configuration to facilitate insertion through tissue, the second state defined by the diameter of the proximal portion and the diameter of the distal portion both being greater than the diameter of the body portion; and an inflation cannula having a tapered distal tip, the inflation cannula disposed within the inflatable port for supplying fluid to the inflatable port such that when the inflatable port is wrapped around the inflation cannula in the first state, the inflatable port is in the tapered configuration and when fluid is supplied to the inflatable port, the inflatable port transitions to the second state.