A tissue retractor comprising an outer ring, an inner ring, and a flexible, metal sheath extending therebetween is described. Embodiments of the inner ring comprise a flat or wedge-shaped conformation useful for insertion between muscle layers. Other embodiments of the inner ring include variable diameter inner rings, where the diameter can be adjusted as required and optionally locked into place, and reshapeable inner rings that permit a user to conform the inner ring to the anatomy of the patient when placing the inner ring.

A face mask (90) comprises an instrument shielding apparatus (91) which comprises an instrument shielding device (92) which is connected to the face mask (90) by an adapter (89). The adapter (89) comprises an instrument accommodating housing (15) through which an instrument bore (25) extends therethrough. The instrument accommodating housing (15) terminates at one end in a first main port (20) engageable with an instrument port (7) of the face mask (90), and in the other end in a second main port (23). The instrument shielding device (92) comprises a shielding sleeve (95) a first end (96) of which is secured by a coupling ring (98) to the second main port (23) of the adapter (89), and a second end (97) of which is secured in a storage chamber (94) of a sleeve storing housing (93) of the instrument shielding device (92). The sleeve storing housing (93) is sealably engageable with a proximal end (58) of an endoscope (10), and the shielding sleeve extends from a collapsed stored state in the storage chamber (94) to the adapter (89) for shielding the endoscope (10).

A tissue guard for use with a surgical access device includes a body having a proximal end, a distal end and lumen defined therebetween. A proximal lip extends radially from the proximal end and is configured to mount atop a rim of an access device. The proximal lip includes an annular channel defined therein disposed in fluid communication with the lumen, the annular channel configured to direct surgical gases from the lumen to a smoke evacuation system. The annular channel includes a neck defined therein disposed between the lumen and the annular channel, the neck having geometry configured to induce the evacuation of surgical gases or smoke therethrough. One or more fingers extend from the proximal lip and are configured to engage an access device to secure the tissue guard thereon.

A dilation system for accessing a surgical target site to perform surgical procedures. In one version, the dilation system includes a wedge assembly and an actuating mechanism. The wedge assembly comprises includes a base and a plurality of blades extending from the base so that the distal end of the blades extend away from the base. The mechanism is operably associated with the blades so as to cause the distal end of the blades to move from a closed condition to an expanded condition.

Systems and methods for preventing the seeding of cancerous cells during morcellation of a tissue specimen inside a patient's body and removal of the tissue specimen from inside the patient through a minimally-invasive body opening to outside the patient are provided. One system includes a cut-resistant tissue guard removably insertable into a containment bag. The tissue specimen is isolated and contained within the containment bag and the guard is configured to protect the containment bag and surrounding tissue from incidental contact with sharp instrumentation used during morcellation and extraction of the tissue specimen. The guard is adjustable for easy insertion and removal and configured to securely anchor to the body opening. Protection-focused and containment-based systems for tissue removal are provided that enable minimally invasive procedures to be performed safely and efficiently.

A surgical cannula includes a seal structure including a one-way check valve and a cannula body. The cannula body includes an insertion portion having a distal opening that is configured to be inserted into tissue, and a receiving portion that includes a proximal opening and is configured to reversibly receive the seal structure. In addition, the seal structure is configured to removably associate with the proximal opening of the cannula body, retain a positive pressure within the cannula body when engaged with the cannula body, and retain a positive pressure within the cannula body when an object is inserted through the cannula and the seal structure. Also, the cannula further includes one or more suture attachment structures extending outward laterally from the cannula body; and one or more internal recesses in an inner wall of the cannula located directly adjacent to the one or more suture attachment structures.

A catheter delivery system is disclosed. The system includes a sheath having a bend disposed proximal to a distal end, a pigtail dilator having a loop portion in the shape of a pigtail disposed proximal to a distal end, and a straight dilator. A diameter of the loop portion is smaller than a diameter of an aortic valve and larger than a cusp of the aortic valve. The sheath and pigtail dilator are percutaneously inserted together into a blood vessel without an exchange procedure and advanced together into the left ventricle of a heart through the aortic valve without an exchange procedure.

A retaining mechanism for releasably securing a trocar assembly within an outer sleeve of an adapter assembly includes a retaining block, a cam wire moveably positioned relative to the retaining block between a lock position and a release position, a retaining block extension maintaining the cam wire relative to the retaining block, a button member in operable engagement with the cam wire, and a pair of retaining members moveable from a first position received within first and second openings of the trocar assembly when the cam wire is in the lock position and a second position spaced from the trocar assembly when the cam wire is in the release position. The retaining members each define a cutout having first and second stepped cutout portions and a smooth transition between the first and second stepped cutouts for receiving the cam wire.

An access control apparatus having a protective covering configure to cover at least one of a subject or an object inside said protective covering is provided, where an opening is configured to provide access to the at least one of a subject or an object and a covering element configured to selectively cover said opening. A receiving element is provided on the protective covering and an activating device with an activating element is provided external to the protective covering. A motor is coupled to the covering element, wherein said motor selectively moves the covering element to at least partially unblock the opening based on a wireless activation signal and a distance between the activating element and the receiving element being within a predefined distance and to completely block the opening based on the wireless activation signal and the distance between the activating element and the receiving element being greater than the predefined distance, effectively limiting the exchange of contaminated or adverse environments between an internal area of the protective covering and an area outside the protective covering. The covering element can be an integral covering or an iris diaphragm arrangement.

Disclosed herein is an obturator and/or cannula configured for insertion of a trocar assembly into a surgical cavity and allowing insertion of medical instruments into the surgical cavity through the cannula after removal of the obturator. The cannula can include an obturator for use in a trocar assembly. A trocar assembly is disclosed including a cannula having a shaft, optionally with a lumen, and one or more elements protruding outwardly from a surface of the lumen and an obturator. The obturator can comprise a shaft with one or more portions configured to accommodate the one or more elements protruding from the lumen surface when the obturator shaft is located in the lumen of the cannula.