AirSeal® creates what can be considered as an open insufflation environment. It optimizes gas flow within the peritoneal cavity through continuous recirculation via a valveless trocar.
Standard insufflation uses a closed environment system which causes variations in intra-abdominal pressure as the diaphragm moves during mechanical ventilation. The resulting effect is increased intra-abdominal pressure during inflation and decreased intra-abdominal pressure during deflation.
In contrast, due to the unique insufflation capabilities of the AirSeal® and the pressure-relieving nature of the trocar, an open environment is more compliant and allows the diaphragm to move more freely without causing a significant change in intra-abdominal pressure.
Measuring pressure within the abdomen as opposed to externally in the machine means that there is a higher degree of control. This is impossible to do accurately with a conventional insufflator as pressure is monitored once every four seconds compared to once every tenth of one second with AirSeal®. The graphs below show the “spikes” in pressure with a conventional insufflator versus the AirSeal® machine.