Method for providing surgical access

A method for providing surgical access through a wall of a tissue structure, comprising:

• a. installing a guiding member across the wall of the tissue structure to a desired guiding depth by piercing an intact portion of the wall of the tissue structure and placing a distal end of the guiding member only partially across a portion of the wall of the tissue structure;
• b. using the installed guiding member as a positional guide, advancing a helical member into the wall of the tissue to a desired helical member depth, the helical member comprising a helical member distal end removably coupled to an anchor member which is coupled to a distal end of a suture member, such that advancing the helical member into the wall causes the anchor member to be advanced into the wall and to pull a distal portion of the suture member along with the anchor member into the wall to encapsulate a number of helical loops of suture member within the wall of the tissue structure that is greater than about 1 loop and less than about 3 loops;
• c. withdrawing the helical member from the wall of the tissue structure, leaving the anchor member in a deployed configuration decoupled from the helical member and coupled to at least a portion of the wall of the tissue structure;
• d. dilating the wall of the tissue structure around the guiding member to expand the surgical access;
• and
• e. tensioning the suture member to close and seal the surgical access.