Surgical access system

A surgical access system is disclosed. The surgical access system having a cannula may include a distal tip having one or more longitudinal channels distributed around a circumference of the distal tip, and one or more circumferential channels around the distal tip. The surgical access system also includes an obturator coaxially insertable within the cannula which may include a distal tip and a retractable cutting element having an actuator. The surgical access system also includes an articulation interface. The surgical access system may also include a distal tip of the cannula that may further include one or more bridges distributed circumferentially along the one or more circumferential channels of the distal tip. The obturator further may include an elongated tube and a slidable plunger element configured to control fluid flow inside the elongated tube of the obturator.