Cutting guard with radiofrequency dissection

A cutting guard for use with a wound retractor, comprising:

• a body having proximal and distal portions and a body lumen extending therebetween, the body lumen including a flexible inner peripheral surface extending therethrough, the flexible inner peripheral surface including a ground contact;
• an elongated ground guard having proximal end defining a proximal opening and a distal end defining a distal opening, the elongated ground guard defining a guard lumen therethrough extending from the proximal opening to the distal opening, the elongated ground guard encapsulating the flexible inner peripheral surface of the body lumen;
• a biasing element disposed at least partially within the guard lumen and encircling the flexible inner peripheral surface of the body lumen, the biasing element biasing the flexible inner peripheral surface inwardly to prevent the ground guard from contacting the ground contact;
• and
• a cutting electrode disposed proximate the distal opening of the elongated ground guard, the cutting electrode electrically connected to a first potential of an electrical energy source and at least one of the proximal end of the ground guard or the guard lumen electrically connected to a second potential of the electrical energy source,
• wherein upon externalizing of tissue through the distal opening of the elongated ground guard, oversized tissue that does not fit through the distal opening of the elongated ground guard forces the flexible inner peripheral surface of the body lumen and the ground guard outwardly to engage one of the proximal end of the ground contact or the guard lumen to complete an electrical circuit with the cutting electrode to energize the cutting electrode to excise oversized tissue.