Insufflation apparatus and methods and a gas generating cartridge therefor

Abstract

The invention provides an insufflation apparatus having a housing and a gas generator arranged to be, at least partially, mounted to the housing. The housing includes a gas outlet for delivering gas to a patient and a gas storage chamber arranged to store gas and deliver it to the gas outlet. The gas generator includes a cartridge mount on the housing adapted to receive a gas generating cartridge, the gas generating cartridge containing gas generating material that generates gas that is delivered to the gas storage chamber. The invention also provides alternative insufflation apparatus, a gas cartridge and a method of generating insufflation gas.

1 - 97 . (canceled) 
     
     
         98 . An insufflation apparatus comprising:
 a gas generator being able to generate gas for use in a surgical procedure;   a reaction chamber being able to contain or receive a reactant; and   an activator comprising at least one electrode whereby charge applied to the at least one electrode, in use, activates the gas generator to generate gas.   
     
     
         99 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 98  further comprising any one or more of:
 a housing, wherein the gas generator is arranged to be, at least partially, mounted or provided on or in the housing; 
 a gas outlet for delivering gas to a patient; and 
 one or more heaters to heat at least a portion of the gas generator and the gas generated thereby. 
 
     
     
         100 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 99 , wherein the insufflation apparatus is able to bring a first reactant and a second reactant into contact to generate gas. 
     
     
         101 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 100 , wherein the first reactant comprises a carbonate material such as aluminum bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate and the second reactant comprises water, an aqueous solution, or an acid. 
     
     
         102 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 101 , wherein at least a portion of the first reactant is provided in a form defining a substantially solid body or at least a portion of the first reactant is provided in a powder or a particulate form. 
     
     
         103 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 98 , wherein the reaction chamber comprises a plurality of sub-chambers containing or configured to receive a first reactant and selectively in fluid communication with a second reactant. 
     
     
         104 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 103  further comprising one or more valves for selectively bringing the first reactant and the second reactant together, and a moveable block configured to isolate at least one sub-chamber to prevent the first reactant and the second reactant from coming into contact in the at least one sub-chamber. 
     
     
         105 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 98 , wherein the reactant comprises a positively charged, carbon dioxide loaded amines solution and the at least one electrode is negatively charged, causing decomposition of the positively charged, carbon dioxide loaded amines solution to release carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         106 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 98 , wherein the reaction chamber contains or is able to receive an absorber/desorber and wherein the insufflation apparatus comprises an activator,
 the activator being able to generate gas by activating desorption of gas from the absorber/desorber, and the reaction chamber is at least partially filled or able to be filled with a medium such as water or an aqueous solution,   wherein the absorber/desorber is at least partially submersed in the medium.   
     
     
         107 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 106 , wherein the absorber/desorber comprises one or more microporous metal organic frameworks. 
     
     
         108 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 98  further comprising one or more heaters, each heater being controllable to heat at least a portion of the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         109 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 98 , wherein the activator includes switching circuitry for selectively controlling activation in portions of the gas generator. 
     
     
         110 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 109 , wherein at least a portion of the gas generator is removably attachable to the insufflation apparatus and is a cartridge. 
     
     
         111 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 110 , wherein the gas generator comprises one or more sealably closeable ports to enable gas generating material to be removed from and introduced into the gas generator. 
     
     
         112 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 111  further comprising one or more gas processors for conditioning the generated gas, wherein optionally at least a subset of the one or more gas processors are located inside a housing that contains the gas generator. 
     
     
         113 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 112  further comprising one or more ports for supplying one or more additives to the gas. 
     
     
         114 . The insufflation apparatus of  claim 98  further comprising or communicatively couplable to any one or more of:
 one or more sensors to monitor at least one parameter of the gas generator and the generated gas; and 
 one or more processors being able to:
 receive a signal from a sensor and a user or other input and to control operation of the insufflation apparatus in response thereto; or 
 receive the signal from the sensor and the user or other input and to control operation of the insufflation apparatus in response thereto and control generation of gas and one or more conditioning elements for conditioning the generated gas. 
 
 
     
     
         115 . A method of generating insufflation gas, the method comprising any one or more of:
 providing an insufflation apparatus according to  claim 98 ;   providing a gas generating cartridge; and   mounting the gas generating cartridge on or to the insufflation apparatus.   
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 115  further comprising opening at least partially an outlet of the gas generating cartridge to enable gas to flow from the gas generating cartridge to the insufflation apparatus, the method further comprising any one or more of:
 controlling a degree that the outlet is open; 
 controlling a temperature of the gas generating cartridge; 
 controlling a temperature of the generated gas; 
 controlling a humidity of the generated gas; 
 controlling a flow speed of the generated gas; 
 controlling a pressure of the gas; 
 controlling a rate of gas generation; 
 removing the gas generating cartridge from the insufflation apparatus; 
 mounting a replacement cartridge; 
 emptying a cartridge of gas generating material; 
 filling a cartridge with gas generating material; and 
 reconditioning depleted gas generating material. 
 
     
     
         117 . A method of generating insufflation gas comprising any one or more of:
 providing an insufflation apparatus according to  claim 98 ;   supplying charge to the at least one electrode of the activator, thereby activating a reaction that generates the insufflation gas;   filtering the generated insufflation gas for use during insufflation or other surgical procedure; and   recapturing gas generated to replenish the reaction chamber with gas generating material.