THORACIC PORT WITH CHANGING ELASTICITY
A surgical access assembly for positioning within an opening in a tissue to provide access to a patient's body for insertion of surgical instrumentation therethrough. The surgical access assembly includes a body portion defining a longitudinal axis and a passageway and having a proximal portion and a distal portion. At least a portion of the distal portion is configured to transition from a more flexible, first configuration for passage into a patient's body and a more rigid, second configuration to securely maintain the distal portion within the patient's body.
1 . A surgical access assembly configured and dimensioned for positioning within an opening in tissue to provide access to a patient's body for insertion of surgical instrumentation therethrough, the surgical access assembly comprising a body portion defining a longitudinal axis and a passageway and including a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein at least a portion of the distal portion is configured to transition from a more flexible, first configuration for passage into the patient's body and a more rigid, second configuration to securely maintain the distal portion within the patient's body.
2 . The surgical access assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body portion is configured to crosslink when transitioning from the first configuration to the second configuration.
3 . The surgical access assembly of claim 1 , including at least one chamber disposed within the body portion of the access assembly, the at least one chamber including a material adapted to provide variable elasticity to the body portion upon transitioning between the first configuration and the second configuration.
4 . The surgical access assembly of claim 3 , wherein the material disposed within the at least one chamber is a variable viscosity fluid.
5 . The surgical access assembly of claim 4 , wherein the variable viscosity fluid is a ferrofluid.
6 . The surgical access assembly of claim 3 , wherein the material disposed within the at least one chamber is a solid polymer.
7 . The surgical access assembly of claim 6 , wherein the solid polymer is a shape memory polymer.
8 . The surgical access assembly of claim 6 , wherein the solid polymer is an electroactive polymer.
9 . The surgical access assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism selected from the group consisting of an electric current, a magnetic field, and heat to effect the transition from the first configuration to the second configuration.
10 . The surgical access assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an outer layer positioned about the body portion, the outer layer being formed from a material that is more flexible than the body portion.
11 . The surgical access assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body portion is coated with a lubricant.
12 . The surgical access assembly of claim 11 , wherein the lubricant contains a bioactive agent.
13 . A method of facilitating access to an internal work site beneath a patient's tissue comprising the steps of:
forming an opening in the patient's tissue;
providing an access assembly including a body portion defining a longitudinal axis and a passageway and including a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein at least a portion of the distal portion is configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration to vary the elasticity of the access assembly;
advancing the access assembly through the opening; and
effecting the transition from the first configuration to the second configuration.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of effecting the transition is selected from the group consisting of applying electric current, applying heat, applying a magnetic field, and combinations thereof.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the access assembly is advanced in a space between the ribs and provides access to a thoracic cavity of a patient.
16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of inserting a surgical instrument through the passageway of the access assembly.