Abstract: A surgical access assembly configured and dimensioned for positioning within an intercostal space defined between a patient's adjacent ribs to facilitate passage of a surgical instrument into an internal work site. The surgical access assembly includes a body portion that may be either partially or wholly formed from a resilient material such that the surgical access assembly is resiliently deformable to facilitate conformity with the intercostal space in order to minimize the application of force to the patient's tissue upon insertion and removal of the access assembly and manipulation of the surgical instrument.