Patent ID: 8206337

Claim:
An apparatus for preparing and delivering insufflation gases used to inflate a portion of a patient during an endoscopic or laparoscopic procedure, said apparatus comprising: an insufflator adapted to receive pressurized gases from a high pressure gas source and control the pressure and volumetric flow rate of said gases to an acceptable level, a humidifier located distant to said patient and in fluid communication with said insufflator, said humidifier including an adjustable heater adapted to regulate the temperature and humidity of said insufflation gases, a sensor adapted to measure a property of said insufflation gases being delivered to said patient, a controller adapted to receive a signal representative of said measured property from said sensor, a gas delivery conduit in fluid communication with said humidifier and adapted to transport said insufflation gases to said patient, said conduit including a heater for heating said insufflation gases, the gas delivery conduit being sufficiently long to permit said humidifier to be located outside an operating sterile zone so that the humidifier does not need to be sterilized, and a gas delivery device in fluid communication with said gas delivery conduit and adapted to deliver said insufflation gases to the patient for use in the procedure, in use said controller regulating the temperature and humidity of said insufflation gases entering the patient by controlling said adjustable heater of said humidifier and said heater of said gas delivery conduit based on said signal from said sensor.