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1. A surgical access apparatus for positioning within an incision in tissue to facilitate access to an underlying surgical site, the surgical access apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to removably receive at least one surgical object;

an elongated member including a tubular braid formed of a mesh of fibers, the elongated member having proximal and distal ends and defining a longitudinal axis, the elongated member extending distally from the housing and defining an axial lumen configured to allow the at least one surgical object to pass therethrough, the elongated member being adapted to transition from a first extended condition, in which the elongated member is configured for at least partial insertion within the incision, and a second compressed condition, in which the elongated member defines a tissue engaging portion configured to facilitate anchoring of the elongated member relative to the incision, wherein, when in the second compressed condition, the tissue engaging portion is expanded to define a transverse dimension orthogonal to the longitudinal axis greater than a corresponding transverse dimension of the entire remaining portion of the elongated member, the tissue engaging portion being spaced along the longitudinal axis relative to the distal end of the elongated member; and

at least one flexible filament secured to the elongated member and extending proximally relative thereto, the at least one filament being dimensioned such that drawing the at least one filament proximally transitions the elongated member from the first extended condition to the second compressed condition.

2. The surgical access apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one filament is disposed within the lumen of the elongated member.

3. The surgical access apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one filament is secured to an external surface of the elongated member.

4. The surgical access apparatus of claim 1 , further including a membrane disposed about at least a proximal portion of the elongated member to facilitate anchoring of the elongated member within the tissue.

5. The surgical access apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes locking structure configured to engage the at least one filament and thereby maintain the second compressed condition of the elongated member.

6. The surgical access apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the locking structure includes at least one channel formed in the housing, the at least one channel being configured to at least partially receive the at least one filament.

7. The surgical access apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fibers are substantially elastic.

8. The surgical access apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one filament is configured to extend proximally from the housing and positioned to be accessed by a user.

9. The surgical access apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tissue engaging portion is spaced relative to both the proximal end and the distal end of the elongated member.

10. The surgical access apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one filament is interlaced with the tubular braid of the elongated member to connect the filament to the elongated member.

11. A surgical access apparatus for positioning within an incision in tissue to facilitate access to an underlying surgical site, the surgical access apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to removably receive at least one surgical object, the housing having at least one channel;

an elongated member including a tubular braid formed of a mesh of fibers, the elongated member having proximal and distal ends and defining a longitudinal axis, the elongated member extending distally from the housing and defining an axial lumen configured to allow the at least one surgical object to pass therethrough, the elongated member being adapted to transition from a first extended condition, in which the elongated member is configured for at least partial insertion within the incision, and a second compressed condition, in which the elongated member defines a tissue engaging portion configured to facilitate anchoring of the elongated member relative to the incision, wherein, when in the second compressed condition, the tissue engaging portion is expanded to define a transverse dimension orthogonal to the longitudinal axis greater than a corresponding transverse dimension of the entire remaining portion of the elongated member, the tissue engaging portion being spaced along the longitudinal axis relative to the distal end of the elongated member;

at least one filament secured to the elongated member and extending proximally relative thereto, the at least one filament being at least partially received within the at least one channel of the housing, the at least one filament being dimensioned such that drawing the at least one filament proximally transitions the elongated member from the first extended condition to the second compressed condition; and

a locking member repositionable between unlocked and locked positions, the locking member defining a channel therethrough configured to at least partially receive the at least one filament, the channel of the locking member and the channel of the housing being substantially aligned when the locking member is in the unlocked position, the locking member configured to engage the at least one filament and thereby maintain the second compressed condition of the elongated member when in the locked position.

12. The surgical access apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the channel of the locking member and the channel of the housing are substantially misaligned when the locking member is in the locked position.

13. The surgical access apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the locking member is biased towards the locked position by a biasing member.

14. A surgical access apparatus, which comprises:

a housing;

an elongated member extending from the housing and having proximal and distal ends, the elongated member defining a longitudinal axis and an axial lumen for passage of a surgical object, the elongated member having a tissue engaging segment dimensioned and configured to transition between a first condition where the tissue engaging segment defines a first transverse dimension to permit insertion through tissue, and a second condition where the tissue engaging segment is caused to expand to define a second transverse dimension greater than the first transverse dimension and greater than corresponding transverse dimensions of portions of the elongated member proximal and distal of the tissue engaging segment when the tissue engaging segment is in the second condition, to thereby facilitate anchoring of the elongated member within the tissue, the tissue engaging segment being spaced along the longitudinal axis at a position intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the elongated member;

a flexible filament secured to the elongated member, the filament being dimensioned for manipulation such that movement of the filament along the longitudinal axis causes the tissue engaging segment to transition between the first condition and the second condition, the filament configured to extend proximally from the housing and positioned to be accessed by a user; and

a resilient membrane mounted over at least the tissue engaging segment of the elongated member, the resilient membrane being radially outward of the tissue engaging segment.

15. The surgical access apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the tissue engaging segment of the elongated member is dimensioned to transition from the first condition to the second condition upon proximal longitudinal movement of the filament.

16. The surgical access apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the housing includes a lock, the lock dimensioned to selectively engage the filament to maintain the tissue engaging segment in the second condition.

17. The surgical access apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the lock is movable between a locked condition securing the filament and a release condition releasing the filament.

18. The surgical access apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the lock is normally biased toward the locked condition.

19. A surgical access apparatus, which comprises:

a housing;

an elongated member extending from the housing and having proximal and distal ends, the elongated member defining a longitudinal axis and an axial lumen for passage of a surgical object, the elongated member having a tissue engaging segment dimensioned and configured to transition between a first condition where the tissue engaging segment defines a first transverse dimension to permit insertion through tissue, and a second condition where the tissue engaging segment is caused to expand to define a second transverse dimension greater than the first transverse dimension and greater than corresponding transverse dimensions of portions of the elongated member proximal and distal of the tissue engaging segment when the tissue engaging segment is in the second condition, to thereby facilitate anchoring of the elongated member within the tissue, the tissue engaging segment being spaced along the longitudinal axis at a position intermediate the proximal and distal ends of the elongated member, at least the tissue engaging segment of the elongated member including a braid;

a flexible filament secured to the elongated member, the filament being dimensioned for manipulation such that proximal longitudinal movement of the filament along the longitudinal axis causes the tissue engaging segment to transition between the first condition and the second condition;

a resilient membrane mounted over at least the tissue engaging segment of the elongated member, the resilient membrane being radially outward of the tissue engaging segment; and

wherein the housing includes a lock dimensioned to selectively engage the filament to maintain the tissue engaging segment in the second condition, the lock being movable between a locked condition securing the filament and a release condition releasing the filament, the lock being normally biased to the locked position.

20. The surgical access apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the filament is secured to the tissue engaging segment.