Patent ID: 8257251

Claim:
A surgical access device, comprising: a proximal housing having one or more sealing ports extending therethrough, each sealing port having a sealing element configured to form a seal around an instrument inserted through the sealing port; a distal flexible retractor including a proximal flange, a distal flange, and an elongate portion extending between the proximal and distal flanges, the elongate portion being configured to be positioned in tissue of a body to form a pathway therethrough into a body cavity with the proximal and distal flanges positioned on opposed sides of the tissue; and an actuation member spiraling around a perimeter of the retractor, the actuation member being configured to selectively effect a change in a diameter of the retractor, wherein the retractor has a lumen extending through a sidewall thereof, the actuation member being disposed in the lumen, and the retractor has a working channel extending therethrough configured to define the pathway, the lumen spiraling around the working channel, and the actuation member is configured to move within the lumen relative to the retractor to effect the change in the diameter of the retractor.