Patent ID: 8353439

Claim:
An introducer for introducing a surgical circular stapler having a handle portion, an elongated shaft protruding from the handle portion, and stapling head coupled to the elongated shaft into a patient, said introducer comprising: a hollow flexible sheath having a distal end and an open proximal end, said hollow flexible sheath sized to receive the stapling head and at least a portion of the elongated shaft therein; a radially-openable barrel member attached to a distal end of said hollow flexible sheath and defining an opening for receiving the stapling head therein, a rigid cap member hingably attached to said radially-openable barrel member and movable between a closed position wherein said rigid cap member covers a distal end of said opening in said barrel member and open position wherein said rigid cap member is movable to a position exposing said distal end of said opening in said barrel member; and a latch member in engagement with a pair of opposed ends of said radially-openable barrel member, said latch member being selectively movable from a latched position engaging said opposed ends of said barrel member and retaining said rigid cap member in said closed position and an unlatched position wherein said opposed ends may move radially away from each other to enable said rigid cap member to move to said open position.