Surgical hand access apparatus

A surgical access apparatus, which comprises:

• an access member having a passageway therethrough and defining a central longitudinal axis;
• a seal member mounted across the passageway, the seal member including an inner seal portion and an outer seal portion, the inner seal portion having inner surfaces defining an aperture for substantial sealed reception of at least one of the hand or arm of a surgeon inserted therein and being arranged about a seal axis, the outer seal portion including at least one expansible rib and having a corresponding at least one recess beneath the at least one expansible rib, the at least one expansible rib and the at least one recess dimensioned to facilitate movement of the aperture to a displaced position radially displaced from the seal axis upon passage of the at least one of the hand or arm therethrough, the at least one expansible rib and the at least one recess extending radially inwardly with respect to the seal axis from the outer seal portion toward the inner seal portion and being generally arranged along a line of intersection with the seal axis;
• and
• a liner member operatively connected to the access member, the liner member dimensioned and adapted for insertion through a tissue tract accessing the abdominal cavity of a patient.

A surgical hand access apparatus, which comprises:

• a liner base member having at least a flexible segment dimensioned and adapted for insertion through an opening within body tissue for at least partial positioning within the body, the liner base member configured to line the opening in the body tissue and provide access to an underlying tissue site;
• and
• an access housing mountable to the liner base member, the access housing including:
• a housing member for positioning outside the body and defining a passageway dimensioned for permitting passage of either a surgeon's hand or arm, the housing member defining a central housing axis;
• a first seal member mounted to the housing member, the first seal member including an inner seal portion and an outer seal portion, the inner seal portion having an aperture for substantial sealed reception of either the surgeon's hand or arm and being arranged about a first seal axis, the outer seal portion including at least one expansible rib, the at least one expansible rib defining a raised portion adjacent a proximal end face of the first seal member and a recessed portion adjacent a distal end face of the first seal member in alignment with the raised portion to define an undulating arrangement dimensioned to facilitate movement of the aperture to a displaced position displaced from the first seal axis, the at least one expansible rib arranged to extend radially from the outer seal portion toward the inner seal portion along a general line of intersection with the central housing axis;
• and
• a second seal member mounted within the housing member adjacent the first seal member, the second seal member having an inner portion defining an aperture for substantial sealed reception of either the surgeon's hand or arm and being arranged about a second seal axis different from the first seal axis;
• wherein the absence of the hand or arm of the surgeon, the first and second seal member form a substantial seal within the passageway of the housing member, and, wherein, during insertion of either the surgeon's hand or arm within the aperture of the first seal member, the inner seal portion of the first seal member is adapted to move to position the aperture thereof in at least partial overlapping relation with the aperture of the second seal member to permit passage of the surgeon's hand or arm through the housing member.