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 insufflation gas from a gas source, the housing of the gas delivery device being configured for enclosing a pump assembly for circulating gas throughout the system; and 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 delivering pressurized gas delivered from the pump to an internal nozzle assembly that is located within the housing of the gas conditioning unit and is configured to accelerate the pressurized gas and thereby generate a continuous pressure barrier contained within the gas conditioning unit that inhibits egress of insufflation gas from the abdominal cavity; ii) a second internal flow path for delivering insufflation 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 depressurized gas spent by the internal nozzle assembly back to the pump under vacuum characterized in that the housing of the gas conditioning unit is generally cylindrical and includes a front end and an opposed rear end, and wherein the housing of the gas delivery unit includes an engagement port for detachably receiving the rear end of the housing of the gas conditioning unit, and wherein the rear end of the housing of the gas conditioning unit includes a rear cover having a first rear flow port corresponding to the first internal flow path, a second rear flow port corresponding to the second internal flow path, and a third rear flow port corresponding to the third internal flow path. a) a gas delivery device having a housing with a port for receiving insufflation gas from a gas source, the housing of the gas delivery device being configured for enclosing a pump assembly for circulating gas throughout the system; and 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 delivering pressurized gas delivered from the pump to an internal nozzle assembly that is located within the housing of the gas conditioning unit and is configured to accelerate the pressurized gas and thereby generate a continuous pressure barrier contained within the gas conditioning unit that inhibits egress of insufflation gas from the abdominal cavity; ii) a second internal flow path for delivering insufflation 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 depressurized gas spent by the internal nozzle assembly back to the pump under vacuum characterized in that i) a first internal flow path for delivering pressurized gas delivered from the pump to an internal nozzle assembly that is located within the housing of the gas conditioning unit and is configured to accelerate the pressurized gas and thereby generate a continuous pressure barrier contained within the gas conditioning unit that inhibits egress of insufflation gas from the abdominal cavity; ii) a second internal flow path for delivering insufflation 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 depressurized gas spent by the internal nozzle assembly back to the pump under vacuum