Leak control system for an insufflation system, and a method for minimising leakage from an insufflation system

Abstract

A leak control system () for an evacuation system () of an insufflation system (), for controlling leakage of insufflating gas from a vessel () of a subject being insufflated. An evacuation conduit () connects a Venturi vacuum creating device () to the vessel () through a pressure relief valve () operable from a closed state to an open state in response to a pressure drop across the pressure relief valve () in the direction of the arrow A exceeding a predefined pressure drop value. The vacuum creating device () is operable in response to a signal from a pressure sensor () detecting pressure in the cavity () exceeding a predefined pressure value for applying a vacuum to the evacuating conduit () to increase the pressure drop across the pressure relief valve () to the predefined pressure drop value, for in turn operating the pressure relief valve () into the open state. On the pressure in the vessel () being reduced below the predefined pressure value, the vacuum creating device () is deactivated, and the pressure relief valve () transitions into the closed state, thereby preventing further leakage of insufflating gas though the Venturi vacuum creating device ().