Patent ID: 7988671

Claim:
A surgical access device comprising: a longitudinal axis extending from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the longitudinal axis defines an instrument access channel; a seal assembly comprising: a housing comprising a proximal end and a distal end; an elastomeric instrument seal comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a seal opening, wherein the instrument seal is disposed in the housing and at least a portion of the instrument seal is fixedly attached in secure engagement with the housing, and wherein the seal opening seals against an instrument operatively extending therethrough; and a seal shield comprising a frustoconical distal end converging to an opening, and a plurality of pleats extending proximally from the shield opening, wherein the plurality of pleats comprises a resilient, flexible, non-elastomeric material, the pleats provide a reduced contact area between the seal shield and an instrument extending through the seal shield such that the reduced contact area and the non-elastomeric material reduce drag on the instrument, in an unexpanded condition the shield opening is at least as large as the seal opening, unfolding the plurality of pleats expands the opening of the seal shield such that an expanded circumference of the shield opening is at least as large as the circumference of the largest instrument intended to be used in the instrument access channel, the seal shield is dimensioned and shaped to be received within and carried on the instrument seal without interfering with the operation thereof, and the seal shield is mounted to the instrument seal in a nested configuration such that seal shield moves in concert with the instrument seal, wherein the opening in the instrument seal is aligned with the opening in the seal shield, the instrument access channel extends through the opening in the instrument seal and the opening in the seal shield, and the flexible, non-elastomeric seal shield directs a tip of an instrument towards the seal opening of the instrument seal as the instrument is advanced and allows contact with the instrument seal, thereby reducing drag and minimizing damage to the instrument seal.