Patent ID: 8430851

Claim:
A surgical access port comprising: a trocar seal housing having an instrument seal, a zero seal and an alignment channel, the alignment channel comprising a long tubular channel extending from the trocar seal housing, extending into, nested in, and substantially encompassed in the instrument seal, and being fixed and rigid, the alignment channel having a proximal end, a distal end proximal the instrument seal, a body portion extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a funneled entry at the proximal end, and a tapered exit at the distal end and wherein the alignment channel has a first diameter along the body portion configured to align an instrument inserted through the trocar seal housing, a second diameter larger than the first diameter at the distal end, and a third diameter larger than the second diameter at the funneled entry, the zero seal fixed to the trocar seal housing such that the zero seal does not substantially pendulate and the instrument seal positioned between the alignment channel and the zero seal, nested in and substantially encompassed in the fixed zero seal, and having an aperture adapted to form a seal around the instrument inserted through the trocar seal housing and the instrument seal being pivotably connected to the seal housing; and a trocar cannula attached to the trocar seal housing.