U.S. patent number 3,645,268 [Application Number 04/883,718] was granted by the patent office on 1972-02-29 for disposable, presterilized, self-locating and piercing evacuator with ejector tube.
Invention is credited to Dagoberto Capote.
United States Patent |
3,645,268 |
Capote |
February 29, 1972 |
DISPOSABLE, PRESTERILIZED, SELF-LOCATING AND PIERCING EVACUATOR
WITH EJECTOR TUBE
Abstract
The present invention is a simple, inexpensive and consequently
disposable, self-piercing and locating combination evacuator and
ejector tube which can be encased in a sheath, presterilized ready
for use, and includes a spearhead-type body with spaced cutting
edges diverging from a pointed top rearwardly, and with a shoulder
or flange spaced beyond the rear limits of said cutting edges, with
a reduced portion therebetween so that when the device is used to
pierce a membrance such as an eardrum, skin or other body portion,
such skin or membrane will be disposed in such reduced portion with
the handle or ejector tube removed, and the device left in the
incision until healing has occurred, whereupon it can be readily
removed. Thus the evacuator is of a construction to have superior
holding qualities, to provide minimum interference with nature's
healing, and is of a composition readily recognizable as suitable
for implantation in the human body.
Inventors: |
Capote; Dagoberto (Memphis,
TN) |
Family
ID: |
25383192 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/883,718 |
Filed: |
December 10, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/117; 604/156;
604/274; 606/185 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
11/002 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
11/00 (20060101); A61b 017/34 (); A61m
027/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/305,329,347,35R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Sheehy, Collar Button Tube for Chronic Serous Otitis, In Trans.
Amer. Acad. Ophth. and Otol. Vo. 68, 1964, pp. 888-889. .
Morgan, Myringotomy Tube Inserter, In. Arch. Otolaryng. Vol. 84.
Sept. 1966. p. 131. .
Christopher, Textbook of Surgery, 8th Ed. 1961. pp.
241-242..
|
Primary Examiner: Pace; Channing L.
Claims
I claim:
1. An evacuator for insertion in living tissue to drain fluids
therefrom, said evacuator comprising a hollow elongated body, stop
means at one end of said body to substantially prevent
overinsertion in the tissue, a tapered generally conical portion at
the opposite end of said body and terminating in a penetrating
point remote from said stop means, a reduced diameter portion
connecting said conical portion to said stop means, and said body
having an axial bore extending from the end adjacent said stop
means and communicating with the surface of said conical portion
through an opening on said surface to provide a passageway
substantially through said body so that fluids from the tissue can
flow through said passageway and drain from said body, whereby
axial movement of said evacuator in the direction of the tapered
portion pierces the living tissue and continued axial movement
imbeds said conical portion within the tissue and said stop means
resists overinsertion of the evacuator into the tissue.
2. The structure of claim 1 including a plurality of cutting edges
located along said generally conical portion and extending from
said penetrating point to a position adjacent to said reduced
diameter portion.
3. The combination of an evacuator for insertion in living tissue
to drain fluids therefrom and an instrument for inserting the
evacuator into the tissue, said evacuator comprising a hollow
elongated body, stop means at one end of said body, a tapered
generally conical portion at the opposite end of said body and
terminating in a penetrating point remote from said stop means, a
reduced diameter portion located between said conical portion and
said stop means, said body having an axial bore extending from the
end adjacent said stop means and communicating with the surface of
said conical portion through an opening on said surface to provide
a passageway substantially through said body so that fluids from
the tissue can flow through said passageway and drain from said
body, said instrument comprising an elongated sleeve, rod means
axially slidably mounted within said sleeve, said rod means having
a reduced portion at one end, said reduced portion normally
extending outwardly of one end of said sleeve and frictionally
engaging the bore of said evacuator, the opposite end of said rod
means extending outwardly from the opposite end of said sleeve,
resilient means connecting the opposite end of said rod means to
the opposite end of said sleeve and adapted to urge the stop means
of said evacuator into engagement with said one end of said sleeve,
whereby axial movement of said sleeve in one direction causes said
evacuator to penetrate the tissue after which said rod means can be
moved in the opposite direction to cause the reduced portion of
said rod means to be withdrawn from the bore of said evacuator
while said sleeve prevents axial movement of said evacuator.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of surgical instruments particularly
suitable for use in the treatment of the human body in the area of
the ears and other membranes in the body where evacuation or the
like is desired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of surgical instruments have been provided including
those for puncturing the tympanic membrane which closes externally
the cavity of the middle ear, and myringotomy tube inserters for
inserting relatively short plastic tube lengths to maintain
openings in such tympanic membrane. The use of these prior art
devices has required too much time and the application of the same
has depended largely upon the skill of the user with excessive
injury as well as a psychological frightening effect on the
patient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECTS
This invention is a simple, presterilized, small, disposable body
which can be easily and quickly applied by a physician, with
negligible opportunity for error and minimum injury to and
frightening of a patient, to allow discharge from an inner area to
the exterior through a membrane such as the eardrum or through the
skin or other portion of the body. Such device is self-orienting
and overinsertion-preventing and somewhat similar to a spearhead
with multiple, spaced, inclined cutting edges for facilitating
insertion through such membrane, beyond the rear limits of which
cutting edges is a reduced portion with an annular flange for
limiting the penetration through the pierced membrane, skin, or
other body part, somewhat the way an earring is fitted to the ear,
and requiring minimum skill in applying, and the device also offers
minimum interference to nature's healing after drainage has been
accomplished and is of a character readily and easily removable
after healing has occurred. A holder for the tool and the tool
itself are of plastic or other suitable material acknowledged as
suitable for implantation within the human body.
It is an object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive,
and consequently disposable, self-piercing and locating combination
evacuator with a disposable ejector tube and which can be
presterilized and the application of which can be accurately and
effectively accomplished with the requirement of minimum skill with
minimum injury to, and frightening of, a patient.
Another object of the invention is to provide an otology drainage
implant for the middle ear or other area having a collection of
fluid in the tissues of the body, and which implant is a
self-piercing evacuator or drainage member with a disposable,
plastic ejector-locator of a material recognized as suitable for
human implantations such as Teflon, polyethylene, Delrin, Nylon,
stainless steel, Titanium, cobalt chrome alloys, or other
recognized substances.
A further object of the invention is to provide a self-piercing,
self-locating evacuator with a plastic cover maintaining the device
sterilized until used and of a character to prevent overinsertion
as well as to offer minimum interference with the healing
process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective of the self-piercing, self-locating
evacuator of the present invention;
FIG. 2, a front elevation; and
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, views illustrating the successive steps in the
application of the device to the tympanic membrane or eardrum of
the human body.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawing, the evacuator of the present invention is
generally in the form of a hollow elongated body 10 having a
conical penetrating point 10' with multiple piercing or cutting
edges 11, three of which have been found satisfactory for an
incision of the tympanic membrane 12, or an operation referred to
in the medical profession as myringotomy. The evacuator or drainage
member also may be used to remove accumulated liquid from beneath
the skin of other parts of the body.
At the rear extremities of the conical point 10' of the evacuator,
the body is provided with a reduced portion 15 with an annular
flange 16 providing an area in which the pierced membrane 12 is
adapted to be received. The flange 16 serves to prevent excessive
penetration or overinsertion and also serves to be gripped for
removal of the evacuator after drainage and healing of the membrane
which has been pierced.
The body 10 has a central axial bore 17 extending therethrough and
terminating in openings 17' located in the conical point 10'
between the cutting edges 11. The bore 17 provides a drain
passageway so that liquids can enter through the openings 17' and
pass through the bore 17 to the exterior of the tympanic membrane
12.
With reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, an applicator instrument is
provided for inserting the evacuator into the membrane 12 or other
tissue. Such applicator instrument includes a holding member or rod
19 having a reduced portion 18 at one end defining a shoulder 20.
The reduced end portion 18 is of a size to be frictionally received
within the bore 17 of the evacuator with the flange 16 in
engagement with the shoulder 20. The rod 19 is axially slidably
mounted within a sleeve 21, one edge of which defines a shoulder 22
against which the flange 16 normally abuts.
The opposite end of the rod 19 extends outwardly beyond the sleeve
21 and is connected to such sleeve by a spring yoke 23, as
illustrated in FIG. 3. The spring yoke 23 normally maintains the
flange 16 of the evacuator against the shoulder 22 of the sleeve.
When the evacuator has been inserted, the rod 19 is moved axially
rearwardly to separate the reduced end portion 18 from the bore 17
of the evacuator while the shoulder 22 prevents rearward movement
of the evacuator.
In order to facilitate the introduction of the holder with the
evacuator on the end thereof, a funnel-type guide member 24 may be
provided, such guide member having a flared outer end 25 and a
reduced or relatively small end 26 which is adapted to extend into
the ear channel 27 leading to the tympanic membrane which closes
externally the cavity over the middle ear.
In order to have the evacuator ready for use, it and its holder
preferably are provided with a plastic cover which may be readily
removed prior to the otology implant for drainage of the middle ear
or for implant in another area where there is a localized
collection of fluid, such as pus in the tissues of the body.
In the use of the device the sleeve 21 is gripped with the thumb
and forefinger and the device is inserted through a funnel-type
guide when it is to be used in the area of the ear. A slight force
is applied axially to the sleeve 21 to cause the evacuator to
pierce the membrane until stopped by the flange 16. Thereafter, the
reduced end portion 18 is retracted from the bore 17 of the
evacuator and the applicator instrument is removed leaving the
evacuator in position.
* * * * *