U.S. patent number 3,929,126 [Application Number 05/509,484] was granted by the patent office on 1975-12-30 for surgical suction irrigator.
Invention is credited to Jay C. Corsaut.
United States Patent |
3,929,126 |
Corsaut |
December 30, 1975 |
Surgical suction irrigator
Abstract
A surgical irrigator for wounds which delivers a flushing
solution to a wound, the irrigator includes first and second
elongated concentric tubes, the first outer tube being connected to
a solution supply and the second inner tube being connected to a
solution suction, said tubes having substantially conjunctive
terminating open ends, said outer tube having an orifice
configuration with a plurality of apertures arranged around a
central orifice of the inner tube, the outer tube being
telescopically moveable relative to the inner tube.
Inventors: |
Corsaut; Jay C. (South Lake
Tahoe, CA) |
Family
ID: |
24026792 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/509,484 |
Filed: |
September 26, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/43;
604/40 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
3/0283 (20130101); A61M 27/00 (20130101); A61M
3/0241 (20130101); A61M 1/85 (20210501); A61M
3/0208 (20140204); A61M 3/022 (20140204) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
27/00 (20060101); A61M 3/02 (20060101); A61M
1/00 (20060101); A61M 3/00 (20060101); A61M
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/240,241,245,246,349,350,344,348,276 ;32/33 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
AM. Cystoscope Makers Inc., 1961 Catalogue, Fig. 2339, p.
15..
|
Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Yasko; J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bielen, Jr.; Theodore J. Peterson;
Richard Esty
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A medical irrigator for flushing wounds with a liquid
comprising:
a. a first conduit having a first terminal open end and a second
end having means for connecting said second end to a liquid supply
means for delivering liquid to said first conduit;
b. a second conduit having a first terminal open end and a second
end having means for connecting said second end to a liquid suction
means for removing liquid from said conduit, said second conduit
positioned within said first conduit and displaced from said first
conduit, wherein said terminal end of said first conduit has a
scalloped edge that is inwardly pinned against the outer surface of
said second conduit forming a plurality of apertures
therebetween.
2. The irrigator of claim 1 wherein said first conduit is tubular
and said second conduit is tubular and is positioned concentrically
within and displaced from said first conduit.
3. The irrigator of claim 2 wherein said means for connecting said
second end of said first conduit comprises a tubular connecting
branch arm with a flared end, and said means for connecting said
second end of said second conduit comprise flared tubular end, said
flared tubular ends being adapted to connect to flexible hoses.
4. The irrigator of claim 3 whereas said terminal open end of said
first conduit is telescopically adjustable with said terminal open
end of said second conduit.
5. The irrigator of claim 4 wherein said terminal open end of said
first conduit includes a plurality of apertures arranged
symmetrically around the first conduit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a surgical device for cleansing wounds,
particularly a device for flushing wounds with a liquid solution.
In the past, wounds have customarily been flushed with solutions
delivered from an aseptic syringe that directs a stream of liquid
solution at a wound to cleanse the wound and dislodge any foreign
matter in the wound. However, in using such devices, it is
difficult to prevent the reflected solution from splashing the
operator and adjacent equipment. Surgical drapes surrounding the
area of the wound frequently become soiled by the flushing solution
spilling from the wound. Further, the irrigation process by syringe
requires pouring a bottle of irrigating fluid into a basin,
repeated filling of an aseptic syringe by a nurse for the operating
surgeon, and concurrent handling of a suction device by an
assistant surgeon to remove the irrigation fluid. During such a
cumbersome operation, spilling and splashing of flushing solution
is inevitable. Because such wounds may harbor infectious bacteria,
the possibility of contaminating splashed objects is a hazard that
makes conventional devices unsatisfactory as well as inconvenient.
The lack of control of the flushing solution requires repeated
changing of drapes and surgical gowns.
The invented surgical suction irrigator delivers a smooth stream of
fluid and concurrently evacuates the delivered fluid. This device
substantially reduces splashing and thereby reduces the possibility
of contamination. Further, use of the invented device reduces the
number of items of irrigating equipment that are required for the
irrigation operation thus reducing the risk of contamination. Also,
the invented device reduces the number of items that must be
sterilized after the irrigation process is completed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The surgical irrigator of this invention delivers a flushing
solution to a wound and concurrently evacuates the solution to
reduce splashing and contamination. The irrigator operates with any
variety of fluids such as plain water, saline solutions or any
variety of medicinal or antiseptic solutions. The irrigator is
preferably constructed of metal to facilitate sterilization.
However, the irrigator may be constructed of a glass, plastic or
other material that can be easily cleaned and sterilized.
The irrigator is formed with a first supply conduit having an open
end that effects a stream of fluid such as an external purgative
saline solution which may be directed at a wound such as a
laceration. A second suction conduit has an open end adjacent to
the open end of the first conduit. The second conduit is attached
to a suction means to continuously absorb by suction the ejected
solution delivered from the first conduit.
In the preferred embodiment, a suction conduit having a circular
cross section is arranged concentrically within a supply conduit
having a circular cross section of diameter substantially larger
than the diameter of the suction conduit. The open ends of each
conduit terminate substantially at the same point for effective
evacuation of delivered liquid.
In the preferred embodiment, the relative position of the open end
of the suction conduit is telescopically adjustable to the position
of the supply conduit to vary the relative rate of suction effect
to the flow from the supply conduit.
The end of the outer supply conduit is formed with a plurality of
summetrically arranged apertures to produce a plurality of
converging streams of liquid for effective flushing of wounds and
for removal of any foreign particles from the wound. The surgical
suction irrigator is designed to the size of a large pencil for
convenient and accurate manipulation. These and other features are
shown in the drawings and described in greater detail in the
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the suction irrigator with
connecting hoses attached.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the two primary members of the
suction irrigator separated.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of
the suction irrigator of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the end of the irrigator of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the end of the
irrigator of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the end of the
irrigator of FIG. 1 with the two primary members in an adjusted
relative position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 the preferred embodiment of the surgical
suction irrigator designated by the reference numeral 10 is shown
connected to two flexible hoses 12 and 14 to illustrate the manner
of connecting the irrigator to collateral equipment when the
irrigator is in use. The irrigator 10 is constructed with two
primary members, a supply conduit 16 and a suction conduit 18. The
two members are shown detached in the exploded view of FIG. 2 to
illustrate with greater clarity the configuration of the two
conduits 16 and 18.
The outer supply conduit 16 is formed by a hollow tube 20 of
circular cross section having a connected tubular branch arm 22
near a top end 23 of the tube 20 which provides a continuous
passage from a flared end 24 of branch arm 22 to discharge end 26
of the hollow tube.
The inner suction conduit 18 is formed by an elongated hollow tube
28 with a circular cross section of outside diameter that is
smaller than the inside diameter of the hollow tube 20 of the
supply conduit 16. The top of the inner tube 28 of the suction
conduit 18 has a flared end 34. The flared end 34 of the inner tube
28 and the flared end 24 of the tubular branch arm 22 of the outer
tube 20 provide slip resistant connectors for the two flexible
hoses 12 and 14 as shown in FIG. 1. The opposite end 30 of the
inner tube 28 terminates with a circular opening 31, shown in the
end view of FIG. 4, discussed in greater detail hereafter.
On the outer surface of the inner tube is an enlargement 32 of
diameter equal to the inside diameter of the hollow tube 20 of the
supply conduit 16. The enlargement 32 provides a packing to seal
the top end 23 of the hollow tube 20 when the inner suction conduit
18 is inserted within the outer supply conduit 16 as shown in FIG.
1. A detail of this connection is shown in FIG. 3. The packing
enlargement 32 not only seals the top end 23 of the outer hollow
tube 20, but it centers the inner tube 28 concentrically within the
outer tube 20. The enlargement 32 is capped with an annular flange
35 which restricts the distance that the inner tube 28 can be
inserted into the outer tube.
When fully inserted such that the annular flange 35 is seated on
the top end 23 of the outer tube 20, the end 30 of the inner tube
28 terminates a short distance below the end 26 of the outer tube
20 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. By carefully withdrawing the inner
tube 28, the end 30 can be retracted to the position shown in FIG.
6 where the end 30 of the inner tube is conjunctive with the end 26
of the outer tube. The function of this adjustment is described in
the description of the operation of the surgical suction irrigator
hereafter.
The end 26 of the outer tube 20 has a scalloped edge that is
inwardly pinned against the outer surface of the inner tube to form
a plurality of summetrically spaced apertures 36 around the end 30
of the inner tube as shown in FIG. 4. This arrangement both centers
the end 30 of the inner tube 28 concentrically within the end 26 of
the outer tube 20 and provides for a plurality of soft and smooth
converging streams of fluid to be emitted during operation of the
irrigator.
OPERATION
The tubular branch arm 22 of the outer tube 20 is connected to a
flexible hose leading from a liquid source such as a saline
solution in an elevated I.V. bottle (not shown). The elevated I.V.
bottle gravity feeds a continuous flow of fluid down the supply
conduit as schematically illustrated by the downwardly directed
arrows in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 3. The rate of flow
can be controlled by the elevation of the bottle or a conventional
hose clamp (not shown). The saline solution is emitted in multiple
converging streams from the multiple apertures 36 at the end 26 of
the outer tube 20. In this manner the wound is irrigated and
flushed of any foreign matter.
The inner tube 28 is connected to a flexible hose leading from a
suction source such as a small vacuum pump (not shown). The vacuum
pump evacuates the flushing solution concurrently with the delivery
of the solution from the supply conduit 16. By selective adjustment
of the distal ends of the two tubes, the effective rate of
evacutation by the inner suction conduit can be controlled. For
example, when the end 30 of the inner tube 28 projects beyond the
end 26 of the outer tube 20 as shown in FIG. 5, the suction is at
maximum effectiveness and evacuates solution at a greater rate than
the rate of supply through the supply conduit 16. When the end 30
of the inner tube 28 is conjunctive with the end 26 of the outer
tube 20 the effectiveness of the suction conduit 18 is reduced, and
the supply tube delivers solution at a rate generally greater than
can be evacuated by the suction conduit 18. This preferred
operation level can be achieved by proper initial coordination of
the supply rate from the supply source and the vacuum level of the
vacuum source.
While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention
has been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of
making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such
details without departing from the spirit and principles of the
invention.
* * * * *