Patent ID: 8480704

Claim:
A device for providing access to a surgical location within a patient, said device comprising: an elongate body comprised of a plurality of segments, said segments including at least one first pair of elongated members arranged oppositely about a first plane formed substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis, and at least one second pair of elongated members arranged oppositely about a second plane, said second plane having a different orientation about said longitudinal axis than said first plane, said first and second pairs of elongated members selectively engaged to provide radial separation along each said plane, each of said plurality of segments being of a length spanning the distance between a patient's skin surface at a proximal end portion and the surgical area juxtaposed a surgical area at a distal end portion, each segment having a top surface portion at the proximal end portion and a bottom surface portion adjacent the distal end portion, each of said segments having a first and second side wall portion, each of said first and second side wall portions including interengaging surfaces to connect said plurality of segments to one another, each of said segments having an outwardly directed surface and an inwardly directed surface, said device further including a plurality elastomeric members surrounding said plurality of segments and exerting a radially directed inward force against the outer surface of each said plurality of segments, whereby said plurality of segments are rigidly secured to one another throughout their entire length.