Surgical seal for use in a surgical access apparatus

A surgical access apparatus, which comprises:

• a housing member having wall portions defining an internal chamber;
• an access member mounted to the housing member, the access member defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal opening dimensioned for passage of an object;
• a seal member disposed within the internal chamber of the housing member and adapted to traverse the internal chamber upon manipulation of the object, the seal member including a peripheral portion and an inner seal portion extending radially inwardly from the peripheral portion, the inner seal portion adapted to permit passage of the object in substantial sealed relation therewith;
• and
• a foam material within the internal chamber surrounding the peripheral portion of the seal member, the foam material comprising a viscous fluid adapted to form a fluid tight seal between the peripheral portion of the seal member and the wall portions of the housing.

A surgical access apparatus, which comprises:

• an access member dimensioned to access underlying tissue and defining a longitudinal axis, the access member having wall portions defining an internal chamber and having a longitudinal opening dimensioned for passage of an object;
• a seal being mounted within the internal chamber of the access member and being adapted to form a substantial sealing relation with the object, the seal being mounted for reciprocal movement within the internal chamber in a general transverse direction to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a fluid within the internal chamber surrounding the seal, the fluid being one of a pharmacological agent or therapeutic agent.