Patent ID: 8574155

Claim:
A surgical access assembly configured and dimensioned for positioning within an opening in tissue providing access to an internal body cavity, the surgical access assembly comprising a passageway defining a longitudinal axis for passage of a surgical instrument into an internal work site, first and second arms, and third and fourth arms, the first and second arms and the third and fourth arms being configured and dimensioned for relative movement such that the surgical access assembly is reconfigurable between a first configuration, wherein a first transverse dimension is defined, and a second configuration, wherein a second transverse dimension is defined, the first transverse dimension being smaller than the second transverse dimension, the first and second arms being connected at a first point, and the third and fourth arms being connected at a second point such that the distance between the first and second points along the longitudinal axis remains constant during movement of the surgical access assembly between the first and second configurations, the access assembly further including a flexible member connected to at least one of the arms, the flexible member facilitating enlargement of the opening in the tissue during movement of the access assembly from the first configuration to the second configuration.