A surgical portal apparatus for use during a minimally invasive procedure includes a housing and a portal member extending distally from the housing. The housing and portal member combination defines a longitudinal axis. The portal member is sized to be positioned within tissue and has an opening at the distal end. The apparatus also has a pliable seal and a plurality of concentrically arranged piston members, disposed within the housing. The pistons are engageable with the pliable seal and are adapted for moving relative to the housing to control the diameter of a passage through the inner portion of the seal in response to the insertion of a surgical object.