Needle Apparatus

Abstract

A finger controlled needle apparatus containing a housing which supports a fluid reservoir and connecting ejecting means which can be actuated by movement of the user's finger. A flexible cover retains the various components on the finger of the user and permits the injection of fluids into the wall of a cavity or organ located within the human body.

Description

BACKGROUND, BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a needle apparatus which will permit injection of medicinal fluids locally into the wall of a cavity or organ located within the human body.

Conventional medical treatment for prostatitis involves direct massage of the prostate gland to force out infection contained therein by direct pressure or direct injection from outside the human body through sensitive exterior body areas into the gland itself by an elongated needle of special design. This latter treatment is not generally used in this country though there are some histories of successful use in countries such as Russia and Egypt.

Massage of the prostate gland does not usually afford a complete cure for the individual suffering this affliction. It is believed that only the direct injection within the gland of drugs such as cortisone and antibiotics can bring about a permanent end to the disease.

Unfortunately, there are no suitable instruments for successfully impregnating the walls of the prostate gland known to the medical profession except the elongated needles such as described above commonly used in Russia and Egypt. It would be advantageous to avoid piercing the exterior of the patient with such a device because of the pain and suffering involved. If an apparatus could be placed directly on the wall of the prostate gland by direct contact with gland by the physician as in conventional prostate massage so that medication could be passed through the prostate gland wall which is made up of a very tough substance and is relatively insensitive to pain, exceedingly good curative effects can be achieved.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a needle apparatus which can be controlled by the finger of a user and positioned directly on the exterior wall of the prostate gland for injecting medication therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a needle apparatus of the type described which will not damage surrounding tissue when the apparatus is inserted against and drawn away from the walls of the prostate gland.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described wherein medication can be injected into the prostate gland without piercing exterior body areas of the patient in the painful manner experienced in conventional practice.

Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described which is also effective in administering a local anesthetic and useful for obstetrical treatment in delivering babies.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent after the consideration of the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the housing means, the reservoir and a needle connected therewith which will permit ejection of fluid therefrom when the reservoir is urged against the housing means.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational, perspective view of the components shown in FIG. 1 which are positioned about the finger of the user and retained thereagainst by a covering means.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational, perspective view of the device constituting the present invention in the position assumed when the user's finger is flexed within the housing means so that the needle will penetrate the adjacent tissue and fluid will be injected therethrough.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a housing device shown generally as 10 is conveniently designed with the upper portion 12 curved to extend over the tip of the user's finger so as to remain positioned thereabout in a manner subsequently to be described. The housing device extends downwardly to form a front surface 14 containing a needle orifice or aperture 16 at a preselected location. Obviously a plurality of such apertures may be provided to receive additional needles if that is desirable. It has been found satisfactory to form the housing device from a hard, firm plastic material such as polypropylene or other nontoxic substances possessing characteristics of firmness to withstand the pressure exerted when the finger of the user is flexed to actuate the device.

The fluid of reservoir device 18 is positioned preferably within the housing 10, and this reservoir is retained at a suitable location adjacent the housing by a resilient spring member 20. Spring member 20 extends upwardly along the reservoir 18 to offer a surface against which the user's finger may be flexed. Its other end is secured to the interior wall of the housing 10. When the spring is depressed by the flexing of the user's finger, the reservoir 18 is collapsed between the two spring walls as shown in FIG. 3.

An ejecting device 22 connects physically via a channel with the reservoir 18 so that upon depression of the reservoir, fluid therein can pass through the ejecting device into an adjacent area. The ejecting device is preferably a conventional needle 24 suitably tapered to penetrate, for example, the tough, sinewy wall of the prostate gland so that medication can be injected within the gland by direct application to and through the exterior prostate gland wall. Because of the inherent biasing characteristics of spring member 20, the needle 24 will automatically be withdrawn upon the release of pressure by the user's finger, and the entire needle apparatus can thereafter be withdrawn without damage to surrounding tissue.

The entire assembly is retained proximate the finger of the user by a covering device 26 preferably formed of a flexible material and designed with one or more integal loops 28 for positioning about another finger of the user. This covering device thus maintains the previously described components at substantially the same location around the tip of the user's finger. The covering device may or may not be provided with an aperture in alignment with aperture 16 in the housing device since the needle could likely penetrate a flexible material without severly damaging it even if this operation is repeated a great number of times. On the other hand, it may be desirable to provide one or more apertures in substantial alignment with the one or more apertures contained in the housing device so that the needle can pass unobstructed into the adjacent tissue when urged therein by the user's finger.

In operation, the secured housing, reservoir, spring and needle are mounted over the end of the finger of the user substantially as shown in FIG. 2, and the flexible covering device 26 is thereafter drawn over this arrangement and secured thereabout by positioning one or more loops 26 about other fingers of the user.

In use, the needle apparatus is extended through a body opening contiguous with the prostate gland wall, the fluid housed within the reservoir 18 is injected into the gland through the needle 24 when the user's finger is urged forwardly to squeeze the reservoir between the two sides of the spring member 20. The needle 24 extends outwardly through aperture 16 within the front wall 14 of housing device 10 to penetrate the adjacent tissue.

After all fluid within the reservoir has been injected into the adjacent tissue, the user's finger is relaxed, and the spring member 20 urges the forward portion 14 of the housing device 10 away from the user's finger so that needle 24 is withdrawn and seated within the housing device.

It will be readily apparent that the present device, while extremely useful in treating prostatitus or other inflammatory and irritating afflictions of the prostate gland, can readily be adapted for obstetrical use. For example, childbirth labor can be eased and shortened by local anesthesia. Additionally, it is also established that a successful nerve block for that purpose may be effective by injecting the main trunk of the pudendal nerve subjacent to each lateral wall of the birth canal. The present invention is well suited for this application.

While there has been illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of a needle apparatus for treating prostatitus and for solving other medical problems or functions wherein the application of fluid into a body cavity or organ from inside the body is desirable, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications may be made in the housing device, the reservoir, the needle and the covering means without departing from the real spirit and purpose of this invention. The invention has uses other than those described such as the injection of other medicinal substances in other cavities, and there are no limitations thereon other than those indicated in the following claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. Finger controlled needle apparatus comprising: housing means shaped to cooperatively receive the finger of a user having at least one needle accommodating aperture therein; at least one hollow needle normally positioned within the housing and adapted to pass through said aperture selectively; fluid reservoir means proximate said housing means; resilient means connecting between, and retaining proximately, said reservoir means and said housing means and biasing said reservoir means within said housing means; means connecting said hollow needle with said reservoir means; means adjacent said reservoir means for projecting said needle through said aperture and forcing fluid from said reservoir through said needle by squeezing said reservoir means between said housing means and said means for projecting; and covering means at least partially retaining said housing means proximate the finger of the user whereby the finger can be flexed to cause ejection of fluid at a desired location.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said retaining means including a resilient spring permitting movement of said reservoir means and said hollow needle with respect to said housing means.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said covering means having securing means retaining said housing means, reservoir means, hollow needle and said covering means proximate the finger of the user.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said securing means is an integral loop positioned about another separate finger of the user.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said covering means is flexible.