A valve mechanism (1) for coupling to a trocar (3) comprises a housing (15) having an instrument bore (16) extending therethrough from an upstream end (17) to a downstream end (18) and alignable with an instrument bore (9) of the trocar (3). A gate valve (20) comprising a pair of gate elements (22) located in the housing (15) is operable between a closed state closing the instrument bore (16) and an open state clear of the instrument bore (16). First compression springs (31) urge the gate elements (22) into the closed state. A pair of engagement members (33), which are engageable with an instrument (10), for example, a laparoscope in the instrument bore (16), and which extend into the instrument bore (16) from respective carrier elements (35) through guide slots (38). The carrier elements (35) are coupled to operating members (27) of the gate elements (22) through link members (47) for operating the gate elements (22) from the closed state to the open state as the engagement members (33) are urged downwardly in the direction of the arrow A in the guide slots (38) by an instrument (10) being entered through the instrument bore (16).

A surgical access device includes a housing having a tubular member extending therefrom. The tubular member has inner and outer walls defining an annular lumen therebetween. A passageway extends between proximal and distal openings of the tubular member. The passageway is configured to receive a surgical instrument therethrough. A conduit is disposed in the annular lumen and includes spiral segments where each spiral segment is engaged with an adjacent spiral segment. The conduit is flexible in a first state and is fixed in a second state. A valve assembly is coupled to the housing and includes a port that is in fluid communication with the annular lumen. The port is attachable to a source of fluid.

A transseptal needle or punch wherein the distal end of the transseptal needle is able to articulate laterally out of the longitudinal axis of the steerable transseptal needle. The transseptal needle further comprise a blunted distal end configuration that is minimally traumatic. Under control by the user or a computer, at the proximal end of the transseptal needle can be articulated to generate various curves with high bending force. The transseptal needle is configured for use within a transseptal introducer.

A seal anchor member defines a housing defining a longitudinal axis, the housing having leading and trailing ends, and including a plurality of lumens extending between the leading and trailing ends, each lumen being adapted for substantially sealed reception of an object therein and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein at least two of the lumens define longitudinal axes that are non-parallel to facilitate angled, at-rest placement of multiple instruments within the seal anchor member.

New shape memory polymer compositions, methods for synthesizing new shape memory polymers, and apparatus comprising an actuator and a shape memory polymer wherein the shape memory polymer comprises at least a portion of the actuator. A shape memory polymer comprising a polymer composition which physically forms a network structure wherein the polymer composition has shape-memory behavior and can be formed into a permanent primary shape, re-formed into a stable secondary shape, and controllably actuated to recover the permanent primary shape. Polymers have optimal aliphatic network structures due to minimization of dangling chains by using monomers that are symmetrical and that have matching amine and hydroxl groups providing polymers and polymer foams with clarity, tight (narrow temperature range) single transitions, and high shape recovery and recovery force that are especially useful for implanting in the human body.

Methods and devices are provided for accessing a body cavity. In one embodiment, a surgical access device is provided that includes a housing having at least one access or sealing port for receiving a surgical instrument, and a retractor removably coupled to the housing and having a working channel configured to extend into a body cavity. The housing can include releasably matable upper and lower portions, with the upper portion being configured to freely rotate 360° relative to the lower portion and to the retractor when the housing is mated thereto.

A gas circulation system is disclosed for performing robotically assisted surgical procedures in a surgical cavity of a patient, which includes a multi-lumen tube set including a dual lumen portion having a pressurized gas line and a return gas line, and a single lumen portion having a gas supply and sensing line, a valve sealed access cap for cooperative reception with a first robotic cannula and having an inlet path for communicating with the gas supply and sensing line of the tube set, and a gas sealed access cap for cooperative reception with a second robotic cannula and having an inlet path for communicating with the pressurized gas line of the tube set and an outlet path for communicating with the return gas line of the tube set.

A surgical access assembly includes an elongated cannula member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, a balloon anchor coupled to the distal end portion of the elongated cannula member, a sleeve of the balloon anchor extending proximally along an outer surface of the elongated cannula member, a chamber defined between the sleeve of the balloon anchor and the outer surface of the elongated cannula member, and a first collar is coupled to the elongated cannula member. The first collar is slidable along the elongated cannula member and engageable with the sleeve of the balloon anchor.

An access sheath and method of assembling the access sheath. The access sheath includes a hub, a cartridge carried by the hub, the cartridge having a first valve, a second valve spaced from the first valve along a central axis, and a spacer disposed between the first valve and the second valve, wherein the first valve and the second valve each have at least two slits that extend along, and twist about, the central axis, and a shaft assembly having a shaft hub and a shaft that extends from the shaft hub in the distal direction. The access sheath provides a liquid-tight seal when receiving the introducer and other devices to prevent leakage and blood loss and to decrease device insertion forces.

A pad is provided having a body for providing a gas seal over a surgical site, a port extending between a first surface of the body and a second surface of the body and sized accept a surgical instrument, and a lumen situated along the body and having a first opening and a second opening, the second opening aligned with the surgical site for communicating a fluid flow to the surgical site.