1 and 71 2 outwardly beyond their relaxed positions as in the embodiment shown distal portion 83 may be provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending slots 85 to endow distal portion 83 with a certain degree of compressibility for when distal portion 83 is pressed against stopper 17 to prepare access needle 11 for insertion into a body lumen of a patient such as into the stomach of a patient as in fig7 a through the abdominal wall a and the stomach wall s of the patient one first positions needle handle 53 as distally far as possible within slot 37 in so doing needle 15 is moved distally relative to cannula 13 causing stopper 17 to be moved distally relative to windows 45 1 and 45 2 and to be compressed within cannula 13 access needle 11 while in the aforementioned state is then inserted into the patient referring now to fig7 b when one wishes to anchor access needle 11 within the body lumen of the patient one moves needle 15 proximally relative to cannula 13 until needle handle 53 is removed from slot 37 and then rotates needle stem 51 approximately 180 degrees to rest needle handle 53 upon proximal end 33 of cannula 13 in so doing wings 71 1 and 71 2 of stopper 17 are moved into engagement with spreader 19 spreader 19 causing wings 71 1 and 71 2 to be spread outwardly through.