Methods and systems for analyzing surgical smoke using atomic absorption spectroscopy

A neurosurgery system for resecting tissue at a surgical site after administration of a contrast agent to a patient, the neurosurgery system comprising:

• an electrosurgical instrument configured to manipulate tissue which generates a fluid sample from the tissue during ablation thereof;
• an aspiration channel arranged to obtain the fluid sample from the surgical site;
• an analyzer for analyzing the fluid sample, the analyzer comprising:
• a collector coupled to the aspiration channel and configured to receive at least a portion of the fluid sample from the aspiration channel;
• a heater configured to atomize the portion of the fluid sample for atomic absorption spectroscopy;
• a light source arranged along the collector and configured to emit light towards the atomized portion of the fluid sample such that the light passes through the collector and is absorbed by the atomized portion of the fluid sample;
• and
• a detector configured to measure an absorption of a wavelength of the light corresponding to a rare earth metal by the portion of the fluid sample;
• an indicator configured to provide an indication of a presence of the rare earth metal;
• and
• a controller disposed in communication with the analyzer and the indicator and configured to instruct the indicator to provide the indication of the presence of the rare earth metal based on the measured absorption of the wavelength of the light.