Method and apparatus for conditioning gas for medical procedures

摘要

An apparatus for treating gas prior to the use of the gas in a medical procedure involving a patient, the gas being received into the apparatus from an insufflator which receives gas from a gas source, and the gas exiting the apparatus being in flow communication with a means for delivering the gas to the interior of the patient, wherein the gas is pressure- and volumetric flow rate-controlled by the insufflator, the apparatus comprising:
a) a housing defining a chamber having an entry port and an exit port, the exit port adapted to be in flow communication with the means for delivering and the inlet adapted to be in flow communication with the outlet of the insufflator; and
b) humidification means disposed within the chamber in the path of travel of the gas through the chamber for humidifying the gas as it travels through the chamber;
the apparatus further comprising humidity sensing means disposed within the chamber for sensing the humidity of gas as it exists the chamber; and monitoring means connected to the humidity sensing means for monitoring the humidity of the gas it exists the chamber.