Patent ID: 7445597

Claim:
A method of retracting and sealing an incision for hand-assisted laparoscopic procedures, comprising: making an incision in a patient; providing a wound retractor system including a distal ring, a proximal ring, a sleeve extending between the distal ring and the proximal ring and fixedly coupled to both the proximal ring and distal ring, and a proximal receiver including a recess; inserting the distal ring through the incision such that the sleeve extends through the incision and the proximal ring is located outside of the incision; retracting the incision with the sleeve; coupling a portion of the proximal ring to the recess of the proximal receiver so that the receiver restricts movement of the proximal ring and an actual length of the sleeve between the distal ring and the proximal receiver is shortened; and coupling a hand access device to the proximal receiver.