Laser surgery plume evacuator with aspirator
First Claim
1. A method of evacuating and aspirating a laser surgery site comprising:
- evacuating through a vacuum filter assembly plume generated during a laser surgical procedure;
aspirating through an aspirator pump assembly fluid containing liquid and plume generated during the laser surgical procedure; and
ventilating at least a portion of plume aspirated into said aspirator pump assembly to said vacuum filter assembly to pass such aspirated plume portion through said vacuum filter assembly.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable laser surgery evacuator includes an aspirator contained in the same housing which is positionable in an operating room near a surgical site. Surgical plume is evacuated from the site by vacuum, filtered through moisture, purifying and particle filters, chemically deodorized, and exhausted in cleaned form into the operating room environment. Fluid containing liquid is aspirated by pumping to a collector bag hung on a hose of the evacuator. Gaseous plume components of the fluid are vented from the collector to the evacuator to be cleaned with the plume. The venting is provided by a hose joining the evacuator inlet hose at a Venturi like connection. The evacuator includes a symmetrical reversible charcoal filter having a moisture absorbing cellulose filter at each end. A disposable aspirator pump of the rotating impeller type mounts on a motor shaft extending through the housing and is restrained against rotation by fixed hooks against which the pump fittings are urged by the torque of the motor.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of evacuating and aspirating a laser surgery site comprising:
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evacuating through a vacuum filter assembly plume generated during a laser surgical procedure; aspirating through an aspirator pump assembly fluid containing liquid and plume generated during the laser surgical procedure; and ventilating at least a portion of plume aspirated into said aspirator pump assembly to said vacuum filter assembly to pass such aspirated plume portion through said vacuum filter assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of evacuating and aspirating a laser surgery site comprising:
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evacuating through a vacuum filter assembly plume generated during a laser surgical procedure and exhausting cleaned air therefrom into an operating room environment; aspirating through an aspirator pump assembly fluid containing liquid and plume generated during the laser surgical procedure; feeding from said aspirator pump assembly to said vacuum filter assembly gaseous components of plume aspirated into said aspirator assembly; and cleaning in the vacuum filter assembly said gaseous plume components and exhausting the cleaned components into said operating room environment. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A laser surgery evacuator/aspirator comprising:
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a portable housing positionable in the environment of an operating room near an operating site; a vacuum filter assembly associated with said housing, said vacuum filter assembly including vacuum means and means for coupling to an outlet end of an evacuator vacuum hose which has an inlet end positionable adjacent an operating site for evacuating through the hose and said vacuum filter assembly plume generated during a laser surgical procedure; an aspirator pump assembly associated with said housing, said aspirator pump assembly including motive means and means for coupling to a suction means which has an inlet end positionable adjacent the operating site for aspirating through the suction means liquid generated during the laser surgical procedure; and power connecting means associated with said housing for providing power to both said vacuum means of said filter assembly and said motive means of said aspirator pump assembly whereby plume and liquid generated during laser surgery may be removed from the operating site without the need for a separate aspirator system or a separate power source therefor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A laser surgery evacuator/aspirator comprising:
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a housing positionable in the environment of an operating room near an operating site; a vacuum filter assembly associated with said housing, said vacuum filter assembly having vacuum means and means for coupling to an evacuator vacuum hose which has an inlet end positionable adjacent an operating site for evacuating plume generated during the laser surgical procedure through said hose and said vacuum filter assembly; an aspirator pump motor situated within said housing, said aspirator pump motor having a rotatable shaft extending therefrom to receive a removable aspirant pump unit thereon; and fixed means carried by said housing for cooperating with the removable aspirator pump unit to hold the removable aspirator pump unit to said rotatable shaft; and power connecting means associated with said housing for providing power to both said vacuum means of said vacuum filter assembly and said aspirator pump motor whereby plume and liquid generated during laser surgery may be removed from the operating site without the need for a separate motive force for the aspirator pump or a separate power source therefor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A laser surgery evacuator/aspirator comprising:
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a housing positionable in the environment of an operating room near an operating site; a vacuum filter assembly carried by said housing, said vacuum filter assembly having vacuum means and an evacuator vacuum inlet hose coupled to said vacuum means, said inlet hose having an inlet end positionable adjacent an operating site for evacuating therethrough plume generated during a laser surgical procedure, said vacuum filter assembly further having filter means connected in series with said evacuator vacuum inlet hose and vacuum means for drawing plume through said inlet hose and said filter means to a clean air exhaust, said exhaust communicating with said operating room environment; an aspirator pump assembly carried by said housing and having an aspirator inlet hose with an inlet end positionable adjacent the operating site for aspirating therethrough liquid generated during the laser surgical procedure, said aspirator pump assembly further having motive means for drawing liquid through said aspirator inlet hose; and feed means coupled between said aspirator pump assembly and said vacuum filter assembly for feeding, to said vacuum filter assembly from said aspirator pump assembly, at least a portion of gaseous components of the aspirated liquid drawn into said aspirator inlet hose whereby the gaseous components are cleaned by said vacuum filter assembly before being exhausted into said operating room environment. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A laser surgery evacuator/aspirator system comprising:
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a portable housing positionable in the environment of an operating room near an operating site; a vacuum filter assembly associated with said housing and including; a vacuum source inside said housing; filter means inside said housing for filtering air drawn in by said vacuum source; means for expelling filtered air out of said housing and into said operating room environment; and means communicating said vacuum source to an evacuator inlet; an aspirator pump assembly comprising; a motor inside said housing and having a rotatable shaft extending out of said housing; a disposable impeller pump unit having a pump body, said pump unit having inlet and outlet arms extending from said pump body, said pump unit further having a shaft extending from said pump body generally perpendicular said arms and slidably received on said rotatable motor shaft for rotation therewith; an aspirator tube having a nozzle end positionable adjacent the operating site for sucking therethrough liquid and drawn off plume generated during a laser surgical operating procedure, said tube having another end coupled to said pump unit inlet arm; an evacuator hose having a nozzle end positionable adjacent the operating site for evacuating therethrough plume generated during the laser surgical procedure, said hose having another end coupled to said evacuator inlet; an aspirant collector coupled to said pump unit outlet arm for collecting liquid and drawn off plume sucked in through said aspirator tube, said aspirant collector having a vent; coupling means coupling said vent of said aspirant collector to said evacuator hose for drawing into said vacuum filter assembly drawn off plume sucked in through said aspirator tube and not retained in said aspirant collector whereby said drawn off plume is not exhausted unfiltered into said operating room environment. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification