Self-contained air enhancement and laser plume evacuation system

A self-contained air enhancement system for removing contaminants from a laser plume produced at a surgical site during a medical procedure, said system comprising:

• a housing;
• an inlet tube for removing the laser plume from the surgical site;
• a suction canister secured to said housing and being in communication with said inlet tube for removing liquid components of the contaminants from the laser plume;
• a filter canister located in said housing and being in communication with said suction canister, said filter canister housing a primary filter capable of removing substantially all of the remaining fine particulates from the laser plume and containing charcoal for removing the odor from the laser plume to produce filtered air;
• means located in said housing downstream of said filter canister for creating suction to pull the laser plume in sequence through said inlet tube, said suction canister, said prefilter, and said primary filter;
• outlet means in said housing for expelling said filtered air from said housing;
• inlet means located in said housing for providing ambient air for cooling said means for creating suction;
• and
• means for shielding the laser plume within the housing from cross-contamination of the ambient air for cooling said means for creating suction.

A self-contained air enhancement system for removing contaminants from a laser plume produced at a surgical site during a medical procedure, said system comprising:

• a housing;
• an inlet tube for removing the laser plume from the surgical site;
• a suction canister secured to said housing and being in communication with said inlet tube for removing liquid components of the contaminants from the laser plume;
• a prefilter located in said housing and being in communication with said suction canister for removing particulates from the laser plume;
• a filter canister located said housing and being in communication with said suction canister, said filter canister housing a primary filter capable of removing substantially all of the remaining fine particulates from the laser plume and containing charcoal for removing the odor from the laser plume to produce filtered air;
• means for creating suction located in said housing downstream of said filter canister to pull the laser plume in sequence through said inlet tube, said suction canister, said prefilter, and said primary filter, thereby to preclude contaminants from the laser plume from reaching said means for creating suction;
• an outlet means in said housing for expelling said filtered air from said housing;
• and
• inlet means located in said housing for providing ambient air for cooling said means for creating suction.