Trocar seal with reduced contact area

A seal for use with a seal assembly in a surgical access device, comprising:

• a seal body having an extension protruding therefrom and configured such that an instrument passed through the seal assembly contacts the extension before contacting the seal body to open the seal assembly, the extension having proximal and distal ends in contact with an inner surface of the seal body.

A surgical access device, comprising:

• a proximal housing with a cannula extending distally therefrom that is configured to extend into a body cavity, the access device including a working channel extending between the housing and the cannula that is configured to receive a surgical instrument;
• and
• a seal body disposed in the access device and having an extension protruding therefrom that is configured such that the surgical instrument contacts the extension before contacting the seal body to open the seal body, the extension having proximal and distal ends in contact with an inner surface of the seal body.

A valve for use in a trocar assembly, comprising:

• a flange having a sealing wall formed of a first material and extending from the flange, the sealing wall configured for selectively opening and closing to seal an opening of a trocar assembly when an instrument is not passed therethrough, wherein the sealing wall includes at least one activation extension protruding from an inner surface of the sealing wall, the activation extension having proximal and distal ends in contact with the inner surface and having an instrument contacting surface formed of a second material.