SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZING AND MAINTAINING VISUALIZATION OF A SURGICAL FIELD DURING THE USE OF SURGICAL SCOPES

• US 20120165610A1
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Floshield Inc.
• Original Assignee: Minimally Invasive Devices, LLC
• Inventors: Poll, Wayne L., Crisafulli, Caroline M., Drach, Gregory P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,078,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/157
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00119 Tubes or pipes in or with an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/313 for introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/32 Devices for opening or enlarging the visual field, e.g. of a tube of the body dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3474 Insufflating needles, e.g. Veress needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3454 Details of tips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/006 for smoke evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/008 for smoke evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/70 Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/003 Blowing gases other than for carrying powders, e.g. for inflating, dilating or rinsing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/006 with gas recirculation

Abstract

Systems and methods condition air for passage across a laparoscopic lens to prevent fogging, deflect debris, and maintain visualization of an operating cavity. The systems and methods provide an access device sized and configured to provide communication with an insufflated CO2 environment maintained by operation of an insufflations circuit. The access device is coupled to an air conditioning set, which interacts with an air conditioning driver to condition air from the insufflated environment for continuous passage across the laparoscopic lens, to thereby maintain visualization by the laparoscopic lens of the operating cavity, independent of operation of the insufflator circuit.

Claims

1. An air condition system for a sheath sized and configured to receive a laparoscope including a laparoscopic lens providing visualization of an operating cavity insufflated with CO2 through operation of an insufflator circuit, the sheath including a lumen for passing air from a source across the laparoscopic lens to maintain visualization of the operating cavity, the system comprising

an air source access device sized and configured to provide communication with the insufflated CO2 environment,

an air conditioning set sized and configured to couple to the air source access device and the sheath, and

an air conditioning driver that interacts with the air conditioning set to continuously convey air from the air source access device and through the air conditioning set for passage across the laparoscopic lens, to thereby maintain visualization of the operating cavity independent of operation of the insufflator circuit.

2. A system according to claim 1

wherein the air conditioning set is disposable.

3. A system according to claim 1

wherein the air conditioning set is sized and configured to selectively couple and decouple from the air conditioning driver.

4. A system according to claim 3

wherein the air conditioning driver includes a source of power for powering the air conditioning set.

5. A system according to claim 1

wherein the air conditioning set includes an air moving component.

6. A system according to claim 1

wherein the air conditioning set includes an air treatment component that removes at least one undesired agent.

7. A system according to claim 6

wherein the undesired agent comprises one or more of smoke, particulates, pathogens, odors, and toxins.

8. A system according to claim 6

wherein the air treatment component comprises a filter media.

9. A system according to claim 8

wherein the filter media includes an ultra low particulate air filtration media.

10. A system according to claim 8

wherein the filter media includes a high efficient particulate air filtration media.

11. A system according to claim 8

wherein the filter media includes a material that absorbs at least one of smoke, odors, and toxins.

12. A system according to claim 1

wherein the air conditioning set includes a moisture removing element.

13. A system according to claim 1

wherein the air conditioning set includes inlet tubing sized and configured to couple with the air source access device and outlet tubing sized and configured to couple with the lumen of the sheath.

14. A system according to claim 13

wherein at least one of the inlet and outlet tubing includes a moisture trap.

15. A system according to claim 13

wherein the inlet tubing includes a moisture trap adjacent to the air source access device.

16. A method comprising

(i) operating an insufflator circuit to insufflate an operating cavity with CO2,

(ii) visualizing the operating cavity insufflated with CO2 through a laparoscopic lens,

(iii) independent of (i), operating an air condition system as defined in claim 1 to convey CO2 from the operating cavity through an air flow path outside the operating cavity, and

(iv) passing CO2 conveyed during (iii) across the laparoscopic lens to maintain visualization of the operating cavity.

17. A method according to claim 16

during (iii), removing at least one undesired agent from the air flow path.

18. A method according to claim 16

during (iii), removing water vapor from the air flow path.