Patent ID: 8715219

Claim:
A system for insufflation and recirculation of pressurized fluid from a surgical operative environment, the system comprising: a control unit having: a) a fluid pump adapted and configured to circulate pressurized fluid and maintain a fluid seal within a trocar coupled to the control unit; b) a supply conduit in fluid communication with an output of the fluid pump for delivering pressurized fluid to an output port of the control unit; c) a return conduit in fluid communication with an input of the fluid pump for returning pressurized fluid from an input port of the control unit; d) a valve assembly in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid supply source through a gas conduit, and in fluid communication with the supply conduit and the return conduit, the valve assembly remaining in a closed state in the absence of a control signal corresponding to a change in abdominal pressure and being adapted and configured to: i) respond to a low pressure control signal by opening a first internal flow path, to place the supply conduit and the return conduit in fluid communication with one another, to reduce supply pressure to the fluid seal within the trocar and entrainment of ambient air by the trocar from the surrounding environment and to place the pressurized fluid supply source in fluid communication with the return conduit, to increase the concentration of pressurized fluid in the system; ii) respond to a first high pressure control signal by opening a second internal flow path, to place the supply conduit and the return conduit in fluid communication with one another through a bypass conduit, causing pressurized fluid from the supply conduit to be recycled to the return conduit, reducing the effectiveness of the fluid seal within the trocar so as to allow pressurized fluid to escape through the trocar, and thereby lowering abdominal pressure; and iii) respond to a second high pressure control signal, corresponding to a pressure higher than the first high pressure control signal, by opening a third internal flow path to release pressure from the system as the fluid pump continues to draw pressurized fluid from the trocar through the return conduit, permitting abdominal pressure to normalize; and a surgical insufflator adapted and configured to receive pressurized fluid from the pressurized fluid supply source, the surgical insufflator having an output port in fluid communication with the trocar through a pressure sensing conduit to supply insufflating fluid to a patient's abdominal cavity and permit intermittent measurement of abdominal pressure.