Ultraviolet air enhancement and laser plume evacuation method and system

Abstract

In a single portable housing a system for evacuating a laser plume from a surgical site. The system extracts the laser plume from the surgery site through a primary inlet tube supported on an articulated arm. A suction canister communicating with the primary inlet tube removes liquid contaminants from the laser plume and is connected by a secondary inlet tube to a primary filter canister in which is located a primary filter comprised of activated carbon granules. Also disposed in the primary filter canister upstream on the pathway followed by the laser plume through the system is a disposable prefilter disc. In combination with the primary filter the prefilter disc removes substantially all of the particulate contaminants and odor in the laser plume. Downstream from the primary filter canister is a fan for advancing the laser plume through the system. The fan blades of the fan are enclosed in a fan housing having an inner surface taking the form of a spiral in a plane normal to the rotational axis of the fan blade. From the fan the laser plume enters a sterilization chamber containing an ultraviolet light source where all remaining biologically viable contaminants are killed. A secondary filter containing a vertically disposed pleated filter and a layer of activated carbon granules receives the output from the sterilization chamber.