Patent ID: 8409086

Claim:
A surgical portal apparatus, which comprises: a portal housing defining a central housing axis and a central housing channel; a portal sleeve extending from the portal housing, the portal sleeve dimensioned to pass through tissue to provide access to underlying tissue and having a longitudinal opening, the central housing channel of the portal housing and the longitudinal opening of the portal sleeve defining a passageway for reception and passage of a surgical object; a seal having inner surfaces defining a seal passage for establishing a general sealed relation about the surgical object, the seal passage being radially offset with respect to the central housing axis, the seal being adapted to rotate about the central housing axis to vary positioning of the seal passage radially around the central housing axis to substantially maintain the substantial sealed relation upon manipulation of the surgical object within the portal housing; and a ball bearing assembly mounted within the portal housing and operatively coupled to the seal, the ball bearing assembly permitting rotational movement of the seal about a seal axis.