Smoke Evacuation Systems Market

Market Overview

The global Smoke Evacuation Systems Market was valued at approximately USD 160 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 305 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period (2025–2033).

Smoke evacuation systems are devices used to eliminate surgical smoke created by the use of energy-based devices (electrosurgical units, lasers, ultrasonic scalpels, etc.). The systems utilize high-efficiency filtration (e.g. ULPA, HEPA) to capture or eliminate contaminants, gases, and odor from the air. Surgical smoke may carry away harmful chemicals, viruses, and bacteria that may be harmful to patients and operating room personnel. The increasing focus on occupational safety standards, the number of minimally invasive or laparoscopic procedures, and the awareness of the hazards of surgical smoke are drivers of smoke evacuator technologies worldwide. Additionally, regulatory standards from organizations such as OSHA and AORN support healthcare facilities in adopting smoke evacuation while maintaining the freedom to take care of patients.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Growing Awareness of Surgical Smoke Hazards and Enforcing Regulatory Guidelines

The growing awareness of the dangers of exposure to surgical smoke is one of the main factors driving the smoke evacuation systems market. Surgical smoke is created by the use of electrosurgical pencils, laser devices, and energy-based devices and contains toxic gases, carcinogens, viruses, and fine particulates that can severely compromise respiratory health for those working in healthcare.

Institutions including the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), recommend that smoke evacuation devices be utilized for procedures known to produce surgical plumes. The AORN position statement from 2023 recommends the consistent use of smoke evacuation systems as it minimizes unhealthy airborne contaminants in operating rooms and should be universal.

Some states in the U.S.—like Rhode Island and Colorado—have enacted laws requiring the use of surgical smoke evacuation systems in all licensed healthcare facilities; similar laws have emerged in New York, and the Governor of Illinois is considering legislation.

The Joint Commission integrated surgical smoke management into its 2024 accreditation review process, adding another level of enforcement pressures on hospitals. With both the awareness and enforcement of such guidelines continuing to grow worldwide, healthcare providers are investing in state-of-the-art smoke evacuation systems to protect their surgical team and comply with changing regulations.

Increasing Number of Minimally Invasive and Laparoscopic Surgeries Globally

The explosive growth of minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgery is another key driver of smoke evacuation system demand. Laparoscopic procedures are commonly performed in gynecology, general surgery, urology, and bariatric procedures. These procedures commonly deploy electrocautery and laser instruments which produce significant quantities of surgical smoke in narrow operative fields.

Most laparoscopic procedures are performed in in the body cavity, where the smoke is trapped and can obstruct visualization; delay surgical time; and increase patient risks if it is not adequately removed. The International Society for Minimally Invasive Surgery (ISMIS) announced that over 23 million were executed worldwide in the year 2023, and projected rapid growth in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, due in large part to greater access to surgical care, and increasing medical tourism.

In India alone, there was a reported year-on-year increase of over 15% from 2022 to 2024, for the performing of laparoscopic hysterectomies and cholecystectomies, propelled by government funding of minimally invasive surgical programs in public hospitals.

Many leading hospitals are deploying integrated smoke evacuation capabilities in insufflation systems and energy devices to improve surgical safety and efficiency for patients. As the demand for faster recovery, less scarring, and lower rates of infection continues to grow, the impact of laparoscopic procedures – and consequently the impact of smoke evacuation systems – will continue to expand considerably in both developed healthcare markets and those emerging.

Market Restraints

High Cost of Smoke Evacuation Systems and Limited Budget Allocation in Emerging Markets

One of the key limitations facing the smoke evacuation systems market is cost. Smoke evacuators, integrated surgical devices, filters, and maintenance costs contribute to the fairly high costs of advanced smoke evacuation equipment. It will cost thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on top of the costs of equipment and consumables to get a smoke evacuation system and integrated surgical device.

Capital budgets require spending often upwards of hundreds or thousands of dollars at a time. The costs can depend on the design of the system, the amount of integration (e.g., a surgical device with integrated smoke evacuation versus a portable, stand-alone smoke evacuator), the filters used (e.g., ULPA versus HEPA filters), and perhaps personal factors (availability of capital).

The need for replacement of consumables like extensive tubing and filters, at least for some smoke evacuation devices and systems, is an additional factor in operational costs as well. For small and mid-sized hospitals, ASCs, and resources constrained settings such as LMICs, achieving compliance with modern surgical smoke safety methods is cost prohibitive, affordable to larger more profitable institutions but a huge burden to smaller organizations, even when they want the advanced surgical smoke safety.

Comparing expenditure, per capita health expenditure in low-income countries in 2022 was USD 39 (WHO Global Health Expenditure Database) compared to USD 11,702 in the U.S., presenting a real challenge to all aspects of compliance with modern surgical smoke safety in resource-constrained settings where surgical smoke compliance in these situations very well may include artificially scabbing your way through modern surgical practices.

Segmental Analysis

By Product Type

The smoke evacuators segment will account for the highest share of the market in 2024 and the evaluation period. Smoke evacuators are essential devices in capturing and filtering surgical smoke at the surgical site, especially during electrosurgical procedures and laser procedures. The advancement of technology, such as quieter motors, smaller devices, and incorporation into surgical energy devices, has increased the usage of smoke evacuators in hospitals and outpatient surgical centers.

For instance, CONMED and Medtronic offer advanced portable systems that use ULPA filtration treatments, allowing them to capture 99.999% of particles down to 0.1 micron. There is also interest in smoke evacuation pencils and wands due to ergonomic designs and the ability to both cut and remove smoke without the need for separate pieces of equipment. They also have additional cost savings for busy surgical areas.

Actual cost and usage of smoke evacuators can be lower in cases of frequently performed procedures without the need to invest in standalone smoke evacuation devices. . Filters that require replacement, especially ULPA filters, will move steadily forward because of the requirement for replacement and more stringent particulate filtration requirements set by the manufacturers or regulations.

By End User

In 2024, hospitals represented the largest portion of the market due to a large surgical volume, bigger purchasing power, and improved adherence to occupational safety standards. The leading hospitals in the U.S., Europe, and parts of Asia are implementing central smoke evacuation systems in their operating rooms to comply with AORN and OSHA requirements.

Ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) are a growing market, particularly in North America and Asia-Pacific, because they are less expensive and have a shorter patient stay; and outpatient surgery is continuing to grow. The growing focus on safety and infection control in ASCs is driving demand for portable and disposable smoke evacuation solutions.

Regional Analysis

North America

North America is expected to continue to hold the largest market share of more than 40.3% in the year 2024 since North America has stricter protection measures along with high awareness of occupational safety in the operating room and high economic standards in its healthcare system. The U.S. will still be the largest contributing factor through increased usage of smoke evacuation systems due to guidelines.

For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) guidelines and recommendations are being adopted by health systems for smoke evacuation.

Several states (Rhode Island, Colorado, and California) have enshrined smoke evacuation in surgical settings in their legislation and created future demand where there may not be demand today or in the near future. The restorative (high surgical volume) and cosmetic (increasing laparoscopic procedures) surgical procedural volumes; combined with investments from the major players (CONMED, Medtronic); all will continue demand.

Europe

The European market for smoke evacuation systems is expansive, as evidenced by several countries such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the Netherlands, utilizing smoke evacuation systems extensively. The strong adoption and usage of smoke evacuation systems in Europe can be attributed to the continent’s solid healthcare infrastructure, escalating use of workplace safety laws and regulations in surgical settings, and rapidly growing demand for minimally invasive procedures.

For example, in Germany alone, more than 2 million laparoscopic procedures occur each year, representing a huge opportunity for companies to leverage and further drive demand for smoke evacuators with strong filtration systems.

Furthermore, with the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) on the rise, smoke evacuation components are recommended to be built into surgical devices for the safety of patients and healthcare workers. Europe represents a steadily growing market with high awareness surrounding the hazards associated with surgical plumes, coupled with new investments into surgical innovations.

Asia-Pacific

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to expand at the largest CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period because of growing healthcare expenditures, increasing surgical procedure counts, and increasing awareness of surgical smoke risks. These countries, primarily China, India, Japan, and South Korea, have plans to upgrade their surgical capacity that include advanced technologies around safety and hygiene.

Increasing urbanization, growth in medical tourism, and government programs to stimulate laparoscopic procedures are contributing to increased market uptake. For example, the public sector in India is scaling up access to minimally invasive surgery through programs like Ayushman Bharat, which will lead to increased demand for smoke evacuation devices, including hospitals in the public sector and private.

Latin America and Middle East & Africa

Moderate growth is occurring in Latin America and the Middle East & Africa (MEA), propelled by increased investment in healthcare, improvement in hospitals’ infrastructure, and gradual transitions toward minimally invasive practices. Some countries, such as Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and the UAE, serve as the early adopters of smoke evacuation solutions, especially larger private hospitals.

Still, limited awareness of smoke evacuation technologies, economic restrictions, and unequal access to surgical safety technologies are hindering full market development efforts. Most countries in these regions have no regulatory mandates; hence, significant delays result from lack of official adoption. That said, global manufacturers look to broaden their distribution opportunities and initiate programs in these regions to penetrate the threatened potential markets of urban centers and specialty clinics.

Recent Development