Patent ID: 7507209

Claim:
A method of establishing pneumoperitoneum comprising the following steps: providing a housing manufactured from strong non-collapsible material capable of withstanding an internal negative pressure of 50 to 250 mm Hg and having an opening for resting on an abdominal wall of a patient, a user adjustable vacuum valve, and a pass-through; providing an external vacuum system, said vacuum system exerting a negative pressure of 50-250 mm Hg in said housing; exerting negative pressure via said vacuum system with a first conduit comprising vacuum tube via said vacuum valve into said housing to form a tight seal between a housing seal and said abdominal wall of a patient; forming an abdominal wall bubble within the housing by exerting sufficient negative pressure with said vacuum system into said housing to elevate the abdominal wall away from underlying organs or vascular structure of the patient; introducing a penetrator device into said housing via said pass-through; piercing the abdominal wall with said penetrator device by continuing to exert said negative pressure with said vacuum system to advance the abdominal wall toward and into contact with the penetrator device; upon contacting said abdominal wall, continuing to exert said negative pressure with said vacuum system to continue advancing said abdominal wall into said penetrator, said penetrator device piercing and penetrating through said abdominal wall; forming a peritoneal space by elevating said abdominal wall by exertion of said negative pressure into said housing and by providing a second conduit that injects inert gas into said peritoneal space; and increasing separation between the abdominal wall and the underlying organs or vascular structure of the patient by injecting said inert gas via said second conduit into said a peritoneal space between the abdominal wall and the organs or vascular structure that underlies the abdominal wall of the patient.