A surgical access apparatus for passing through tissue to an underlying surgical area includes an access member defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal channel for reception of a surgical object, a seal member mounted to the access member and positioned to intersect the longitudinal channel, and having internal seal surfaces defining a passage and being dimensioned to establish a substantial sealing relation with a surgical object inserted therethrough and a substantially annular element mounted to the seal member and at least partially circumscribing the passage. The annular member is rigid relative to the seal member and defines an opening to permit passage of the object. The annular element is dimensioned to minimize offset manipulation of the surgical object relative to the longitudinal axis.