Patent ID: 8025642

Claim:
A surgical portal apparatus for permitting access to a tissue site, which comprises: a portal member dimensioned for positioning within body tissue and defining a longitudinal axis, the portal member having a longitudinal passageway therethrough providing access to a tissue site; a variable seal member mounted to the portal member, the variable seal member having an orifice therethrough, the orifice having a diameter dependent upon a longitudinal dimension of the variable seal member; a pair of compression members longitudinally disposed on opposite sides of the variable seal member, each compression member having a pressure face for contacting the variable seal member; and a longitudinal displacement mechanism in communication with a power source coupled to the surgical portal apparatus, the longitudinal displacement mechanism adapted to receive energy from the power source to automatically produce relative longitudinal movement between the compression members such that the longitudinal dimension of the variable seal member is altered to vary the diameter of the orifice.