Systems for tissue removal

A shield (10) for providing a cut-resistant path through a body opening to protect a tissue margin, the shield comprising a side wall (16) having a tubular shape defining a central lumen (22), the central lumen (22) along a longitudinal axis (24) between a proximal opening (26) at a proximal end (12) and a distal opening (28) at a distal end (14), the sidewall (16) being made of at least one layer of flexible cut-resistant mesh material (46) having a plurality of interwoven filaments (52a-52d) defining interstices (50), the interwoven filaments (52a-52d) being formed of a plastically deformable thermosetting material with the cut resistant mesh material (46) comprising the interwoven filaments (52a-52d) molded and thermoset to give the cut resistant mesh material of the side wall (16) a generally hourglass shape when in a normal, undeformed configuration, with a progressively increasing central lumen (22) towards the proximal end (12) defining a proximal rim (30) on the side wall and a progressively increasing central lumen towards the distal end defining a distal rim (32) on the side wall , the proximal rim (30) being configured to anchor the protector (10) with respect to a proximal end of the tissue margin and the distal rim (32) being configured to anchor the protector (10) with respect to a distal end of the tissue margin. side wall (16) circumferentially protecting the tissue margin along the body opening, the side wall (16) having a neck portion (40) located between the proximal rim (30) and the distal rim (32). ), the side wall (16) being deformable from the normal undeformed configuration and being predisposed to return to the normal undeformed configuration when released.