Filter cartridge with internal gaseous seal for multimodal surgical gas delivery system having a smoke evacuation mode

1. A system for delivering gas during a laparoscopic surgical procedure performed within a patient's abdominal cavity, comprising:

a) a gas delivery device having a housing with a port for receiving insufflating gas from a gas source, the housing of the gas delivery device being configured for enclosing a pump for circulating pressurized gas throughout the system;

b) a separate gas conditioning unit having a housing configured for operative association with the gas delivery device and including:

i) a first internal flow path for receiving pressurized gas delivered from the pump;

ii) a second internal flow path for delivering insufflating gas to the abdominal cavity and for facilitating periodic static pressure measurements from the abdominal cavity; and

iii) a third internal flow path for returning pressurized gas to the pump; and

wherein the first internal flow path includes an internal nozzle assembly that is located within the housing of the gas conditioning unit and is configured to accelerate the pressurized gas delivered by the pump enclosed in the gas delivery device to the gas conditioning unit and thereby generate a continuous pressure barrier contained within the gas conditioning unit that inhibits egress of insufflating gas from the abdominal cavity, wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit is generally cylindrical and includes an inlet end and an opposed outlet end, and wherein the gas delivery unit includes an engagement port for detachably receiving the gas conditioning unit, wherein the outlet end of the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes an outlet cover having a first outlet port corresponding to the first internal flow path, a second outlet port corresponding to the second internal flow path and a third outlet port corresponding to the third internal flow path.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inlet end of the gas conditioning unit includes an inlet cover having a first inlet port corresponding to the first internal flow path which communicates with a first conduit, a second inlet port corresponding to the second internal flow path which communicates with a second conduit and a third inlet port corresponding to the third internal flow path which communicates with a third conduit.

3. A system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first conduit includes a fitting for communicating with a first surgical access port, and wherein the first surgical access port includes a mechanical valve associated with a central lumen thereof for accommodating the sealed introduction of surgical instruments into the abdominal cavity.

4. A system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the second conduit includes a fitting for communicating with a second surgical access port responsible for insufflation and pressure measurement of the abdominal cavity.

5. A system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the third conduit includes a fitting for communicating with a third surgical access port responsible for smoke evacuation from the abdominal cavity.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes an internal pressure chamber located within the first internal flow path and communicating with the first outlet port.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes an internal central nozzle chamber having a cylindrical wall supporting the internal nozzle assembly, and wherein the internal central nozzle chamber communicates with the internal pressure chamber through an internal delivery port.

8. A system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the internal nozzle assembly includes a cylindrical jet set having a pair of axially spaced apart outer sealing rings for sealingly isolating the internal nozzle assembly within the central nozzle chamber.

9. A system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the internal central nozzle chamber includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed spaced apart axial vanes distal to the cylindrical jet set for directing gas flow.

10. A system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the internal central nozzle chamber communicates with a breathing tube proximal to the cylindrical jet set that is open to atmosphere.

11. A system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes an internal vacuum chamber located within the third internal flow path.

12. A system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the internal vacuum chamber communicates with the internal nozzle chamber through a plurality of gas transfer ports to permit spent gas from the internal nozzle assembly to return to the pump for repressurization and circulation.

13. A system as recited in claim 11 , wherein a third filter element is disposed within the internal vacuum chamber for filtering gas returning to the pump from the patient's abdominal cavity.

14. A system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit further includes an internal reservoir chamber located within the third internal flow path, downstream from and in fluid communication with the internal vacuum chamber through a fluid transfer port, for accommodating any fluid drawn into the housing of the gas conditioning unit by the pump.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 , wherein a fluid level sensor is arranged within the internal reservoir for detecting a predetermined fluid level therein.

16. A system as recited in claim 6 , wherein a first filter element is disposed within the internal pressure chamber for filtering pressurized gas from the pump.

17. A system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes a diverter plate which interacts with the outlet cover to define an internal conditioning cavity disposed in the second internal flow path and configured to support a second filter element for filtering insufflating gas from the gas source.

18. A gas conditioning unit for use with a gas delivery device during a laparoscopic surgical procedure performed within a patient's abdominal cavity, comprising:

a) a housing having an inlet end configured for engagement with the gas delivery device and an opposed outlet end;

b) a first filtered flow path within the housing for receiving pressurized gas from a pump enclosed within the gas delivery device;

c) a second filtered flow path within the housing for delivering insufflating gas to the abdominal cavity and for facilitating periodic static pressure measurements from the abdominal cavity; and

d) a third filtered flow path for returning pressurized gas to the pump;

wherein the first filtered flow path includes an internal annular nozzle assembly that is located within the housing of the gas conditioning unit and is dimensioned and configured to accelerate the pressurized gas delivered by the pump and thereby generate a continuous pressure barrier contained within the gas conditioning unit that inhibits egress of insufflating gas from the abdominal cavity, and wherein the outlet end of the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes an outlet cover having a first outlet port corresponding to the first filtered flow path, a second outlet port corresponding to the second filtered flow path and a third outlet port corresponding to the third filtered flow path.

19. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 18 , wherein the inlet end of the gas conditioning unit includes an inlet cover having a first inlet port corresponding to the first filtered flow path which communicates with a first conduit, a second inlet port corresponding to the second filtered flow path which communicates with a second conduit and a third inlet port corresponding to the third filtered flow path which communicates with a third conduit.

20. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first conduit includes a fitting for communicating with a first surgical access port, and wherein the first surgical access port includes a mechanical valve associated with a central lumen thereof for accommodating the introduction of surgical instruments into the abdominal cavity.

21. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 18 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes an internal pressure chamber located within the first flow path and communicating with the first outlet port.

22. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 21 , wherein a first filter element is disposed within the internal pressure chamber for filtering pressurized gas from the pump.

23. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 18 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes an internal central nozzle chamber having a cylindrical wall supporting the internal annular nozzle assembly, and wherein the internal central nozzle chamber communicates with the internal pressure chamber through an internal delivery port.

24. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 23 , wherein the internal annular nozzle assembly includes a cylindrical jet set having a pair of axially spaced apart outer sealing rings for sealingly isolating the internal nozzle assembly within the internal central nozzle chamber.

25. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 23 , wherein the internal central nozzle chamber includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed spaced apart axial fins distal to the cylindrical jet set for directing gas flow.

26. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 23 , wherein the internal central nozzle chamber communicates with a breathing tube proximal to the cylindrical jet set that is open to atmosphere.

27. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 23 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes an internal vacuum chamber located within the third filtered gas path.

28. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 27 , wherein the internal vacuum chamber communicates with the internal nozzle chamber through a plurality of gas transfer ports to permit spent gas from the internal nozzle assembly to return to the pump for repressurization and circulation.

29. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 28 , wherein a third filter element is disposed within the internal vacuum chamber for filtering gas returning to the pump from the patient's abdominal cavity.

30. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 29 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit further includes an internal reservoir chamber located within the third filtered flow path, downstream from and in fluid communication with the internal vacuum chamber through a fluid transfer port, for accommodating any fluid drawn into the housing of the gas conditioning unit by the pump.

31. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 30 , wherein a fluid level sensor is arranged within the internal reservoir for detecting a predetermined fluid level therein.

32. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 18 , wherein the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes a diverter plate which interacts with the outlet cover to define an internal conditioning cavity disposed in the second filtered flow path and configured to support a second filter element for filtering insufflation gas from the gas source.

33. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 18 , wherein the second conduit includes a fitting for communicating with a second surgical access port responsible for insufflation and pressure measurement of the abdominal cavity.

34. A gas conditioning unit as recited in claim 18 , wherein the third conduit includes a fitting for communicating with a third surgical access port responsible for smoke evacuation from the abdominal cavity.