Gas insufflation apparatus for use with an arthroscopic laser system

摘要

The present invention is a gas insufflation apparatus which is used with an arthroscopic attachment having a gas inlet. A cylinder contains gas at a high pressure. A single stage regulator is fluidly coupled to the cylinder in order to regulate the inlet pressure of the gas. The gas insufflation apparatus includes a filter, an inlet relief valve and an inlet pressure gauge. The filter is fluidly coupled to the single stage regulator. The inlet relief valve insures that the inlet pressure of the gas does not exceed a predetermined pressure. The inlet pressure gauge reads the inlet pressure. The gas insufflation apparatus also includes a control valve and a flow meter. The control valve turns the flow of the gas through the gas insufflation apparatus on and off. The flow meter measures the flow of the gas through the gas insufflation apparatus. The gas insufflation apparatus further includes a first regulator and a second regulator. The first regulator insufflates the gas directly into the knee joint at a first preselected pressure in order to distend the knee joint during arthroscopic surgery. The second regulator insufflates the gas directly into the arthroscopic attachment through the gas inlet at a second preselected pressure which is slightly higher than the first preselected pressure in order to distend the knee joint and provide positive gas flow through the arthroscopic attachment during arthroscopic surgery by the laser system.