Surgical seal assembly

Abstract

A surgical seal assembly, includes a seal housing defining a longitudinal housing axis and having a longitudinal opening therethrough, a seal having an inner seal portion defining a passage and being adapted to form a substantial seal about a surgical instrument disposed within the passage and a guide mounted to the seal housing. The guide has an inner guide portion proximal of the inner seal portion of the seal and spaced therefrom. The inner guide portion defines a channel adapted to generally direct the surgical instrument toward the inner seal portion of the seal upon entry of the surgical instrument within the longitudinal opening of the seal housing. The inner guide portion is relatively compliant to accommodate initial offset or angled entry of the surgical instrument.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A surgical seal assembly, comprising:
 a seal housing defining a longitudinal axis;   a seal having an inner seal portion defining a passage and being adapted to seal about a surgical instrument disposed within the passage; and   a guide mounted adjacent an internal tapered wall of the seal housing and longitudinally fixed relative to the seal, at least a portion of the guide being longitudinally aligned with and disposed radially inward of the internal tapered wall of the seal housing.   
     
     
         3 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide includes an inner guide portion proximal of the inner seal portion of the seal and spaced therefrom, and wherein the inner guide portion of the guide includes an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the inner guide portion defines a channel adapted to direct the surgical instrument toward the inner seal portion of the seal upon entry of the surgical instrument within an opening of the seal housing, and wherein the channel of the inner guide portion is tapered in configuration, having a proximal entry opening and a distal exit opening, the distal exit opening defining an internal dimension less than a corresponding internal dimension of the proximal entry opening. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the channel defines a frusto-conical configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide includes a plurality of compliant members, each compliant member of the plurality of compliant members extending radially inwardly relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein each compliant member of the plurality of compliant members is mounted in a cantilevered relation to the seal housing. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of compliant members is arranged such that adjacent compliant members of the plurality of compliant members at least partially overlap each other. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein each compliant member of the plurality of compliant members extends in a direction having radial and longitudinal components of direction relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the seal housing includes an internal wall defining an internal dimension less than an internal dimension of a proximal entry opening of the channel of the inner guide portion to restrict an internal dimension of a longitudinal opening of the seal housing. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the seal housing defines a channel including a tapered section, and wherein the guide is spaced from the tapered section along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide defines surfaces extending along axes intersecting the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide is spaced from the seal along the longitudinal axis in a manner preventing interference with functioning of the seal. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide is suspended from the internal tapered wall of the seal housing. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the internal tapered wall of the seal housing is positioned and arranged to be prevented from contacting the surgical instrument during insertion of the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         16 . A surgical seal assembly, comprising:
 a seal housing having a longitudinal opening therethrough;   a seal having an inner seal portion adapted to seal about a surgical instrument; and   a guide mounted to an internal tapered wall of the seal housing and longitudinally fixed relative to the seal.   
     
     
         17 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein an inner guide portion of the guide is isolated from the inner seal portion of the seal to not interfere with functioning of the seal. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the guide includes a plurality of compliant members coaxially arranged about a longitudinal axis defined by the seal housing. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the guide is disposed proximally of the seal. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical seal assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the guide is spaced from the seal along a longitudinal axis defined by the seal housing in a manner preventing interference with functioning of the seal.