Method and apparatus for conditioning insufflation gas for laparoscopic surgery
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus for treating gas prior to the use of the gas in a medical procedure involving a patient, the gas being received into the apparatus from an insufflator which receives gas from a gas source, and the gas exiting the apparatus being in flow communication with a means for delivering the gas to the interior of the patient, wherein the gas is pressure- and volumetric flow rate-controlled by the insufflator, comprising:
- a) a housing having an inlet and an outlet;
b) means for communicating the outlet of the insufflator with the inlet of the housing, wherein a portion of the communicating means is positioned proximal to the controlling means, whereby the gas cools the controlling means and the controlling means preheats the gas;
c) a chamber within the housing and having an entry port and an exit port, the entry port of the chamber being in flow communication with the inlet of the housing;
d) a humidification means in the chamber that is in the path of travel of the gas through the chamber;
(e) heating means disposed within the humidification means for heating the gas to a predetermined temperature;
(f) means in the housing adjacent the exit port of the chamber for sensing the temperature of the gas; and
(g) means connected to the sensing means for controlling the heating means, whereby upon the determination by the sensing means of the temperature of the gas being at a predetermined level, the controlling means regulates the amount of heat applied by the heating means to the gas within the chamber.
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Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus for treating gas prior to its use in a medical procedure comprising a housing that receives gas from an insufflator, a chamber within the housing having a humidification means, a heating means disposed within the humidification means, a filtering means within the humidification means, a means for sensing the temperature of the heated and humidified gas, and a controlling means connected to the sensing means to maintain the temperature of the gas to a predetermined temperature. Additionally provided are methods of providing heated, humidified and filtered gas to a patient at a predetermined temperature.
159 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for treating gas prior to the use of the gas in a medical procedure involving a patient, the gas being received into the apparatus from an insufflator which receives gas from a gas source, and the gas exiting the apparatus being in flow communication with a means for delivering the gas to the interior of the patient, wherein the gas is pressure- and volumetric flow rate-controlled by the insufflator, comprising:
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a) a housing having an inlet and an outlet; b) means for communicating the outlet of the insufflator with the inlet of the housing, wherein a portion of the communicating means is positioned proximal to the controlling means, whereby the gas cools the controlling means and the controlling means preheats the gas; c) a chamber within the housing and having an entry port and an exit port, the entry port of the chamber being in flow communication with the inlet of the housing; d) a humidification means in the chamber that is in the path of travel of the gas through the chamber; (e) heating means disposed within the humidification means for heating the gas to a predetermined temperature; (f) means in the housing adjacent the exit port of the chamber for sensing the temperature of the gas; and (g) means connected to the sensing means for controlling the heating means, whereby upon the determination by the sensing means of the temperature of the gas being at a predetermined level, the controlling means regulates the amount of heat applied by the heating means to the gas within the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of providing heated, humidified gas into a patient for an endoscopic procedure comprising the steps of:
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a) directing pressure- and volumetric flow rate-controlled gas, received from an insufflator into a chamber having a means for heating the gas to a temperature within a predetermined range and a means for humidifying the gas and being disposed immediately adjacent to the patient, wherein the chamber is in flow communication with and immediately adjacent to a means for delivering the gas to the interior of the patient; b) sensing the temperature of the gas as it exits the chamber to determine if it is within the predetermined range; and c) actuating the heating means if the temperature of the gas is without the predetermined range; d) humidifying the gas within the chamber; and e) flowing the gas into the delivering means such that the gas enters the patient humidified and having a temperature within 2°
C. of the predetermined temperature and thus providing the gas. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification