Abstract: A smoke evacuating system for use during surgical procedures, particularly minimally invasive procedures involving the use of a laser or cautery at a surgical site having an associated higher than ambient pressure, wherein the system includes a filter with a site side and an outlet side and a fluid conduit extending between the surgical site and the filter. The filter includes a filter media and a housing substantially surrounding the filter media with a space between the filter media and the housing to collect condensed vapor. The filter exhibits low resistance or a low pressure drop and resists fluid flow, whereby the higher than ambient pressure is not substantially diminished and generates a fluid flow in the fluid flow path tending to carry smoke to and through the filter.

Abstract: A group or kit of surgical instruments (FIG. 26) for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures. In one embodiment the invention is an instrument (10) with a generally central longitudinal axis and a generally toroidal surface generally transverse to the axis wherein the convex portion (20) of the surface does not extend beyond a line parallel with the longitudinal axis along an outer diameter of the instrument. The surface has a continuous edge (22) having a first end (24) at a shoulder (26) and a second end (28) at the shoulder (26), and spaced from the first end. In another embodiment the instrument has a working end (12) with a generally longitudinal axis, and the working end defined by a generally curved surface along the longitudinal axis wherein the curved surface has a concave portion, and a convex portion wherein the working end has a generally flat tip.