U.S. patent application number 10/657432 was filed with the patent office on 2004-03-25 for medical suction apparatus and methods for draining same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Bemis Manufacturing Company. Invention is credited to Anderson, Barry G., Hand, Joseph M..
Application Number | 20040059303 10/657432 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22710909 |
Filed Date | 2004-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040059303 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Anderson, Barry G. ; et
al. |
March 25, 2004 |
Medical suction apparatus and methods for draining same
Abstract
A method and apparatus for draining a liner-type medical suction
apparatus. The method includes the acts of positioning the
liner-type medical suction apparatus relative to a drainage device
including a conduit, causing the conduit to communicate with the
liner interior, and draining the fluid from the liner interior
through the conduit. The apparatus includes a support member
adapted to support the liner-type medical suction apparatus and a
drainage device housing adjacent to the support member. The device
also includes a conduit including a first end coupled to the
drainage device housing and a second end for communication with the
liner interior.
Inventors: |
Anderson, Barry G.;
(Sheboygan, WI) ; Hand, Joseph M.; (Sheboygan
Falls, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH, LLP
100 E WISCONSIN AVENUE
MILWAUKEE
WI
53202
US
|
Assignee: |
Bemis Manufacturing Company
Sheboygan Falls
WI
|
Family ID: |
22710909 |
Appl. No.: |
10/657432 |
Filed: |
September 8, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10657432 |
Sep 8, 2003 |
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09819243 |
Mar 28, 2001 |
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6626877 |
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60192751 |
Mar 28, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
604/319 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 1/0001 20130101;
A61M 1/604 20210501 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/319 |
International
Class: |
A61M 001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A medical apparatus comprising: a medical suction apparatus
including an interior for containing fluid, a cover, a first port
in the cover, a pre-attached tube coupled to the first port and
extending into the interior, and a second port in the cover; a
drainage device including a housing and a support member adapted to
support the medical suction apparatus; and a conduit including a
first end coupled to the drainage device housing and a second end
coupleable to the second port so that fluid in the interior can
flow through the pre-attached tube and out of the second port to
the drainage device.
2. The medical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover includes a
first boss extending upwardly from the second port and a second
boss extending downwardly from the first port, and wherein the
conduit is coupleable to the first boss and the pre-attached tube
is coupled to the second boss.
3. The medical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the medical suction
apparatus is a liner-type apparatus.
4. A medical apparatus comprising: a medical suction apparatus
including an interior, a cover, and a port in the cover; a first
conduit coupled to the port and extending into the interior; a
station including a support member adapted to support the medical
suction apparatus; and a second conduit including a first end
coupled to the station and a second end coupled to the port, the
second conduit being in fluid communication with the first
conduit.
5. The medical apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first and second
conduits include flexible tubing.
6. The medical apparatus of claim 4 wherein the medical suction
apparatus is a liner-type apparatus.
7. A medical apparatus comprising: a medical suction apparatus
including an interior, a cover, and a port in the cover; a first
fluid connector coupled to the port and extending into the
interior; a drainage station including a support member adapted to
support the medical suction apparatus; and a second fluid connector
including a first end coupled to the drainage station and a second
end coupled to the port, whereby fluid in the interior flows
through the first fluid connector and to the drainage station via
the second fluid connector.
8. The medical apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first and second
fluid connectors include flexible tubing.
9. The medical apparatus of claim 7 wherein the medical suction
apparatus is a liner-type apparatus.
10. A medical suction apparatus comprising: a fluid container
having an interior; a cover secured to the container, the cover
having therein a port, a first port wall extending into the
interior, and a second port wall extending in a direction opposite
the interior; and a conduit coupled to the first port wall and
extending into the interior.
11. The medical suction apparatus of claim 10 wherein the fluid
container is a liner-type fluid container.
12. The medical suction apparatus of claim 10 and further including
a second conduit coupled to the second port wall.
13. The medical suction apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first
port wall and the second port wall are integrally connected.
14. The medical suction apparatus of claim 10 wherein the fluid
container has a bottom wall portion and the conduit has a first end
coupled to the first port wall and a second end adjacent the bottom
wall portion.
15. The medical suction apparatus of claim 10 wherein the fluid
container has a length and wherein the first conduit extends into
the interior at least 75% of the length of the container.
16. The medical suction apparatus of claim 10 wherein the conduit
is coupled to the first port wall via a friction fit.
17. A medical suction apparatus comprising: a fluid container
having an interior; a cover secured to the container, the cover
having therein a port; and a conduit coupled to the port and
extending into the interior.
18. The medical suction apparatus of claim 17 and further including
a second conduit coupled to the port and in fluid communication
with the conduit.
19. The medical suction apparatus of claim 17 wherein the conduit
is flexible.
20. The medical suction apparatus of claim 17 wherein the fluid
container is a liner-type container.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a continuation of prior
application Ser. No. 09/819,243, filed on Mar. 28, 2001, which
claimed the benefit of provisional patent Application No.
60/192,751, filed on Mar. 28, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to draining bodily fluid contained in
the liner of a liner-type medical suction apparatus.
[0003] Medical suction systems are used in hospital environments
and particularly during various surgical procedures to drain and
store bodily fluid from a patient. In general, medical suction
systems are used in conjunction with a vacuum source which enables
the bodily fluid to be drained from the patient.
[0004] One type of medical suction system used to drain and contain
fluid from a patient is an apparatus including a disposable
bag-like liner and a cover secured to the liner. Such liners are
thin-walled pliable plastic members. The cover typically includes a
patient port for receiving the fluid from a patient and a vacuum
port for establishing a vacuum within the liner. The vacuum draws
fluid from the patient through the patient port for collection in
the liner.
[0005] It has become important in environments such as hospitals to
eliminate the handling of and thus reduce personnel exposure to
bodily fluids. Hospitals typically dispose of the bodily fluid
contained in a liner-type medical suction apparatus in various
ways. Bodily fluid can be poured from the liner through a port in
the cover down the hospital sink and into the sewer system, can be
incinerated as a liquid or solid, or can be disposed of at an
approved hazardous waste site. Since the liner is in the form of a
pliable bag filled with liquid, special disposal handling is
required in order to prevent puncturing or bursting due to contact
with sharp objects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for
removing body fluids from a liner-type medical suction apparatus to
eliminate the potential for a person handling the apparatus to come
into contact with the fluid being drained.
[0007] Specifically, the invention provides for methods of draining
bodily fluid from a liner that is drained of potentially hazardous
fluid without contact with the fluid. The liner is drained in
conjunction with a drainage device. Various types of drainage
devices can be employed to drain the liner.
[0008] More particularly, the invention provides a method for
draining a liner-type medical suction apparatus, the liner-type
medical suction apparatus including a liner, a liner interior
filled with fluid, a cover, and a port in the cover. The method
includes providing a drainage device, the drainage device including
a conduit and a cradle. The method also includes positioning the
cover of the liner-type medical suction apparatus within the cradle
of the drainage device with the liner-type suction apparatus
inverted, causing the conduit to communicate with the liner
interior through the port, and draining the fluid from the liner
interior through the conduit.
[0009] The invention also provides another method for draining a
liner-type medical suction apparatus, the liner-type medical
suction apparatus including a liner, a liner interior filled with
fluid, a cover, and a port in the cover. The method includes
providing a drainage device, the drainage device including a
movable support member and a conduit. The method also includes
positioning the liner-type medical suction apparatus in a
substantially upright position within the support member, attaching
the conduit to the port, and moving the support member to cause the
liner-type medical suction apparatus to move from the substantially
upright position to a position in which the fluid flows out of the
liner interior into the conduit.
[0010] The invention also provides a medical apparatus including a
liner-type medical suction apparatus. The liner-type medical
suction apparatus includes a liner, a liner interior for containing
fluid, a cover, a port in the cover, and a pre-attached tube
coupled to the port and extending into the liner interior. The
medical apparatus includes a drainage device including a housing.
The medical apparatus also includes a conduit including a first end
coupled to the drainage device housing and a second end coupleable
to the port so that fluid in the liner interior can flow through
the pre-attached tube and the conduit to the drainage device.
[0011] The invention also provides another device for draining a
liner-type medical suction apparatus, the liner-type medical
suction apparatus including a liner, a liner interior filled with
fluid, a cover, and a port in the cover. The device includes a
drainage device housing and a cradle coupled to the drainage device
housing, the cradle being adapted to support the cover of the
liner-type medical suction apparatus when the liner-type medical
suction apparatus is in an inverted position. The device also
includes a breakout pipe including a first end coupled to the
cradle and a second end for communication with the liner interior.
The breakout pipe is movable upwardly between a storage position in
which the second end is stored substantially within the cradle and
a drainage position in which the second end is in communication
with the liner interior through the cover.
[0012] The invention also provides still another device for
draining a liner-type medical suction apparatus, the liner-type
medical suction apparatus including a liner, a liner interior, a
cover, and a port in the cover. The device includes a drainage
device housing, a drain coupled to the drainage device housing, and
a conduit including a first end coupled to the drain and a second
end adapted for attachment to the port. The device also includes a
support member coupled to the drainage device housing and adapted
to support the liner-type medical suction apparatus. The support
member is movable between a loading position in which the
liner-type medical suction apparatus is in a substantially upright
position and a drainage position in which the liner-type medical
suction apparatus is in a position in which the fluid flows through
the conduit to the drain.
[0013] Other features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the
following description, claims and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a front view of a liner-type medical suction
apparatus.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus and one method
for draining the liner.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus and a second
method for draining the liner.
[0017] FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views of the apparatus and a
third method for draining the liner.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the apparatus and a fourth
method for draining the liner.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the apparatus and a fifth
method for draining the liner.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a liner and sixth method for
draining the liner.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a front view of a seventh method for draining the
liner.
[0022] Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in
its application to the details of construction and the arrangement
of components set forth in the following description or illustrated
in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and
of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it
is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used
herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded
as limiting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown a liner-type
medical suction apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 includes a cover 12
and a liner 14 suitably attached to the cover 12. The liner 14 is a
thin-walled bag having an interior 16 adapted to hold the fluid
drained from a patient. The liner 14 is preferably fabricated from
a plastic such as ultra low density polyethylene, however, other
materials can be used as desired.
[0024] The cover 12 includes a patient port 18, a suction port 20,
and other access ports as desired. A patient conduit is connectable
to the patient port 18 to enable communication between the patient
and the interior 16 of the liner 14. A suction conduit is
connectable to the suction port 20 to enable communication between
the interior 16 of the liner 14 and a suction source, such as a
hospital suction system.
[0025] To drain fluid from a patient, the patient and suction
conduits are respectively secured to the patient and suction ports
18 and 20. The liner 14 is supported by a stand or by a rigid outer
container or canister (not shown), and fluid is drained from a
patient as is conventionally known.
[0026] When it is desired to drain the fluid contained in the liner
14, one of the seven methods described herein can be employed to
drain the fluid contents from the interior 16 of the liner 14 while
eliminating any contact with the fluid by the person handling the
apparatus 10.
[0027] Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown the liner-type medical
suction apparatus 10. To drain the fluid contents of the interior
16 of the liner 14, a conduit 22 is positioned in the interior 16
of the liner 14, such as through an open port 24 in the cover 12.
One end 26 of the conduit 22 is positioned in the interior 16 of
the liner 14 and the other end 28 is in communication with a
drainage device 30 which evacuates the fluid from the interior 16
of the liner 14. To support the apparatus during drainage, the
apparatus 10 can be hung from a stand or hung from a bracket
secured to a wall.
[0028] With reference to FIG. 3, a second method for draining the
apparatus 10 is shown. In this embodiment, a tube 32 is
pre-attached to the inside of the cover 12 and hangs down into the
interior 16 of the liner 14. To drain the liner 14, the end 26 of
the conduit 22 is secured to the open port 24 on the cover 12 and
the second end 28 is secured to the drainage device 30, such as was
described above.
[0029] Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a third method for draining
the liner 14 is shown. With this method, the cover 12 includes a
flapper-style valve 34 positioned in a port 36. To drain the fluid
from the liner 14, the apparatus 10 is inverted with respect to a
drainage device 38 and the cover 12 is positioned in a cradle 40 of
the drainage device 38. Preferably, the drainage device 38 creates
a negative pressure or suction force within the cradle 40 to hold
the apparatus 10 in place. The drainage device 38 includes a
breakout pipe 42 that is movable vertically. After the cover 12 has
been positioned in the cradle 40, the pipe 42 is actuated such that
it moves upwardly toward the valve 34. Further upward movement of
the pipe 42 pivots the valve 34 to enable fluid to escape the liner
14 through the pipe 42 as is shown by the arrow in FIG. 5. After
drainage, the pipe 42 is actuated downwardly, the valve 34 returns
to its normally closed position and the apparatus 10 can be removed
from the cradle 40. One suitable construction for the pipe 42 is
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/239,842, titled
"Method and Apparatus for Removing and Disposing of Body Fluids,"
filed Jan. 29, 1999, the entire contents of which is incorporated
herein by reference.
[0030] A fourth method for draining the liner is shown in FIG. 6.
In this embodiment, the cover 12 includes a breakaway portion 44.
Preferably, the breakaway portion 44 is a frangible part of the
cover 12. To drain the fluid from the liner 14, the apparatus 10 is
inverted with respect to the drainage device 38, the cover 12 is
positioned in the cradle 40, and drainage device 38 creates a
suction force within the cradle 40 to hold the apparatus 10 in
place. After the cover 12 has been positioned in the cradle 40, the
pipe 42 is actuated upwardly toward the portion 44. Further upward
movement of the pipe 42 breaks the breakaway portion 44 allowing
fluid to drain from the interior 16 of the liner 14 through the
pipe 42. After drainage, the pipe 42 is actuated downwardly and the
apparatus 10 can be removed from the cradle 40.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 7, a fifth method is depicted for draining
the liner 14. In this method, the cover 12 includes a port 46 that
is normally occluded with a plug 48. To drain the fluid from the
liner 14, the apparatus 10 is inverted with respect to the drainage
device 38, the cover 12 is positioned in the cradle 40, and the
drainage device 38 creates a suction force within the cradle 40 to
hold the apparatus 10 in place. After the cover 12 has been
positioned in the cradle 40, the pipe 42 is actuated upwardly
toward the plug 48. Further upward movement of the pipe 42
dislodges the plug 48 from the port 46 allowing fluid to drain from
the interior 16 of the liner 14 through the pipe 42. After
drainage, the pipe 42 is actuated downwardly and the apparatus 10
can be removed from the cradle 40.
[0032] Turning now to FIG. 8, a sixth method is shown for draining
the liner 14. In this embodiment, the liner 14 includes a nipple
portion 50 on the bottom of the liner 14. To drain the contents of
the liner 14, the nipple portion 50 is severed or punctured
allowing fluid to drain from the interior 16 of the liner 14.
[0033] In addition to the cover structures shown in FIGS. 4-8,
other cover structures may be employed. While the structures
disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/239,842 are
generally shown as being incorporated into the bottom of a medical
suction apparatus, those structures may also be incorporated into
the cover of a liner-type medical suction apparatus.
[0034] With reference to FIG. 9, a seventh method for draining the
liner 14 is shown. In this embodiment, a drainage device 52
includes a pivotable swing arm 54 that rotates about a pivot point
56. To drain the liner 14, the apparatus 10 is positioned in the
swing arm 54 with the swing arm 54 in a first position, shown in
phantom in FIG. 9. One end 58 of a conduit 60 is secured to a port
on the cover 12 and the second end 62 of the conduit 60 is secured
to the drainage device 52. The swing arm 54 is then pivoted to a
second position as shown in solid lines in FIG. 9 and the contents
of the liner 14 drained. The second position may be a substantially
horizontal position as shown in FIG. 9, or the second position may
be any position that allows as much fluid as possible to drain out
of the liner 14. After drainage is completed, the swing arm 54 is
returned to its first position and the apparatus 10 can be removed
from the swing arm 54.
[0035] The embodiments of the drainage device shown herein can
operate using various methods to drain the liner such as a venturi
action, a pumping action, or the like. One example of a drainage
device is the Eductor Fluid Management System available from
Deknatel or Bemis Manufacturing Company. However, it should be
noted that other drainage devices can be utilized and the invention
herein is not limited to use of the Eductor Fluid Management System
to drain the liner-type medical suction apparatuses shown
herein.
[0036] Various features and advantages of the invention are set
forth in the following claims.
* * * * *