U.S. patent number 3,756,237 [Application Number 05/140,407] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-04 for irrigation solution administration system and reservoir therefor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Abbott Laboratories. Invention is credited to Richard Marion Chittenden, Earl David Wilson.
United States Patent |
3,756,237 |
Chittenden , et al. |
September 4, 1973 |
IRRIGATION SOLUTION ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM AND RESERVOIR
THEREFOR
Abstract
An irrigating solution administration system including a
reservoir positioned for parallel flow of fluid from the solution
container and the reservoir to the instrument being used is
provided. The reservoir is placed in-line with the tubing
connecting the solution container and instrument by means of a "Y"
type connector, for example. The reservoir assists in maintaining a
constant pressure head, particularly when the reservoir comprises a
flexible pouch, and increases the flow rate of fluid to the
instrument.
Inventors: |
Chittenden; Richard Marion
(Grayslake, IL), Wilson; Earl David (Ingleside, IL) |
Assignee: |
Abbott Laboratories (North
Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22491095 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/140,407 |
Filed: |
May 5, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/80;
128/DIG.24 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
3/0208 (20140204); A61M 3/0216 (20140204); A61M
3/022 (20140204); A61M 3/0241 (20130101); A61M
2209/082 (20130101); Y10S 128/24 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
3/02 (20060101); A61M 3/00 (20060101); A61m
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/214R,214C,214.2,227,DIG.24 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Trapp; Lawrence W.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A reservoir for use with apparatus for the administration of
fluid in surgical procedures, said reservoir comprising: a flexible
pouch sealed about the edges thereof and having a port at the
bottom thereof for the entry and exit of fluid; a first manifold
connector in fluid tight engagement with said port; a second
manifold connector sealed in fluid tight relationship with said
first manifold, said second manifold connector having tubing sealed
in fluid tight relationship therewith, the other end of said tubing
having means thereon for fluid tight engagement with the interior
of a fluid container; and a second tubing sealed in fluid tight
relationship with the first manifold connector for flow of fluid
therefrom, the other end of said tubing being engageable with an
instrument to be used in the procedure, whereby fluid can flow in
parallel from both the reservoir and the fluid container to the
instrument.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Irrigating solutions are used for prophylaxis, treatment, and other
special purposes including surgical irrigation such as for example,
to irrigate or bathe body tissues, organs and wounds. Specific
procedures are irrigation of the bladder for cystocopy and during
and following urologic surgery; tidal irrigation of the bladder in
paraplegic or quadriplegic patients; all types of irrigation of
wounds to cleanse them, from rinsing a simple abrasion to removing
surgical debris by irrigation, and to treat infection locally as an
ancillary to a systemic administration of antibacterial agents. In
some procedures, such as during transurethral prostatic resection
(TUR), debris must constantly be washed from the operative field
requiring relatively large quantities of irrigating solutions and a
relatively constant and continuous flow. Accordingly, present
systems employ a plurality of solution containers arranged in
series for example, and attached to an instrument with flexible
tubing for the flow of fluid therethrough. With such a system, as
one container is emptied it can be replaced while flow continues
through a second container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises an irrigating system which includes
a reservoir positioned for parallel flow of fluid from the solution
container and the reservoir to the instrument being used and the
patient. Preferably, the reservoir comprises a flexible pouch
having a common inlet and outlet for flow of fluid into and out of
the pouch and positioned in-line with the tubing connecting the
solution container and instrument by means of a "Y" connector, for
example. The reservoir assists in maintaining a constant pressure
head, particularly when the reservoir comprises a flexible pouch,
and increases the flow rate of fluid to the instrument. Before
irrigation is begun, the flexible pouch is filled with fluid. By
use of a "Y" connector positioned at the bottom of the flexible
pouch, flow can proceed directly from the solution container to the
instrument being used through tubing connected between the solution
container and one leg of the "Y" connector, through the common leg
of the "Y" connector and thence through tubing to the instrument.
Since the flexible pouch is connected to the other leg of the "Y"
connector, under certain conditions, flow can also proceed from the
flexible pouch directly to the instrument. The flexible pouch
assists in maintaining a constant pressure head because when the
effective head drops in the solution container, flow will begin
from the pouch. Being flexible, internal and external forces such
as surface tension and atmospheric pressure will act on the pouch
to increase the flow of irrigating solution so that a greater flow
will result with a given static head. The flexible pouch also acts
as a reservoir in the event of an emergency wherein for any reason,
flow from the irrigating solution container is interrupted. In a
transurethral prostatic resection procedure for example, the pouch
can be made to contain enough solution for three changes of the
bladder, i.e., about 1200 milliliters of solution. By filling the
reservoir to a desired volume and then closing off the flow of
fluid from the container; a measured volume of solution can be
administered.
DRAWINGS
The invention can be better understood with reference to the
following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates an irrigating system employing two solution
containers arranged in series and including a reservoir comprising
a flexible in-line pouch.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view partially in cross-section taken
along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1 and illustrating one method of
maintaining the in-line pouch in a vertical position during an
irrigating procedure.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view partially in cross-section
illustrating the exit port of the in-line pouch.
FIG. 4 is an elevational view of an irrigating system employing an
in-line flexible pouch and in which the solution containers are
arranged for parallel flow of fluid.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates an arrangement of a system in which the solution
containers are arranged for series flow of fluid and including a
flexible pouch positioned in-line with the tubing. The system 10 as
illustrated includes two solution containers or bottles 11, 12
having a bail band or hanger 13, 14 positioned on the bottom
thereof in order to facilitate hanging of the container during use,
as shown. Attached to the mouth or opening of the containers 11, 12
are caps 15, 16 which include an exit port 17, 18 and an air vent
or secondary port 19, 20 to which can be attached either a tubing
adaptor 22 or air filter 23. In the system illustrated, a section
of tubing 21 provides a pathway for fluid from the container 12 to
the container 11 and is attached to the port 19 of the container 11
by means of a tubing adaptor 22 which is affixed to the tubing 21.
The other end of the tubing 21 is sealed in fluid-tight engagement
with the exit port 18 of the container 12. An air filter 23 is
attached to the port 20 of the container 12 to permit the entry of
filtered air as the fluid empties from the container 12. A clamp 24
is positioned on the tubing 21 to control the flow of fluid between
the containers 11, 12. A section of tubing 25 is sealed in a
fluid-tight relationship with the exit port 17 of the first or
primary solution container 11 and provides a flow path for the
fluid through the "Y" manifold 26 and the tubing 30 to the
instrument being employed or the patient. The "Y" manifold 26
includes two legs 27, 28 one of which 27 is affixed in fluid-tight
relationship with the tubing 25 in communication with the primary
container 11. The single or common leg 29 is attached in
fluid-tight relationship with the tubing 30 the other end of which
includes an adaptor 31 to which is affixed a short segment 32 of
tubing. The open end of the tubing 32 can be attached to an
appropriate instrument and prior to use is covered by a hood 33. A
flexible pouch 40 fabricated in a conventional manner from lay flat
tubing material such as flexible polyvinylchloride is positioned
in-line with the tubing 25. The pouch is sealed around its edges 41
and includes an exit port 42 which is in fluid-tight relationship
with the interior of the pouch and the one leg 28 of the "Y"
manifold 26. To maintain the pouch 40 in a vertical position during
use, a flap 43 extends from the end of the pouch 40 away from the
exit port 42 and includes two openings 44, 45 through which the
tubing 25 attached to the cap is threaded prior to sealing to the
"Y" manifold 26. If desired, instead of using a manifold connector
as described, the tubing leading from the solution container or
containers can be sealed directly into the bottom of the reservoir
40 as is the exit port 42.
To use the system, caps 15, 16 and attendent tubing, flexible pouch
and instrument (not shown) are attached to the irrigating solution
containers 11, 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1. By means of the clamp
34, the tubing 30 at the bottom of the pouch 40 is closed off and
the clamps 24 and 35 which control the flow of fluid from the
containers 11, 12 are opened. This permits the flexible pouch 40 to
fill with fluid after which the clamp 34 is released permitting
fluid to flow through the system and into the instrument. In the
system as illustrated, fluid flows in series from the secondary
container 12 through the exit port 18 of the cap 16 into the tubing
21 and thence through the port 19 of the cap 15 and into the
primary solution container 11. The fluid then flows from the
primary container 11 through the exit port 17 of the cap 15 and
into the tubing 25 and to the instrument as previously explained.
It is apparent that the secondary container 12 will empty first at
which time it can be replaced while flow continues from the primary
container 11. As the dynamic head at the "Y" manifold 26 drops due
to fluid flow, flow will begin from the flexible pouch 40. The
fluid will flow through the exit port 42 into the leg 28 of the "Y"
connector 26 and thence into the tubing 30 to the instrument being
used. In this fashion, the flexible pouch 40 acts to maintain a
constant dynamic head in the system. The pouch 40 also acts as a
reservoir in the event both containers 11, 12 should empty or flow
be prevented for any reason. Being flexible, the pouch 40 also acts
to increase flow because of the action of internal and external
forces such as surface tension and atmospheric pressure on the
pouch 40. Accordingly, greater flow can be obtained with a
decreased static head and an attendant reduced pressure at the
instrument.
FIG. 4 illustrates a system in which the solution containers are
arranged for parallel flow of the fluid and including a flexible
pouch positioned in-line with the tubing. With this type of
arrangement, flow of fluid normally proceeds simultaneously from
both containers. With this arrangement, flow is increased somewhat
in comparison to the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1 since with
that arrangement, flow must proceed from the secondary container to
the primary container, through ports in the cap and thence through
the tubing to the instrument. As with the system 10, illustrated in
FIG. 1, this system 50 includes two solution containers or bottles
11, 12 suspended from a hanger 51 by means of a bail-band or hanger
13, 14 attached to the bottom of the bottle. A cap 15, 16 is
attached to the mouth of the container as previously described. In
this arrangement, the flexible pouch 40 includes an extending flap
43 from which the pouch 40 is suspended from the hanger 51 by means
of a cord 54. Again, the pouch 40 is sealed around its edges 41 and
includes an exit port 42 which is in fluid-tight relationship with
the interior of the pouch 40 and a "Y" manifold 55. One leg 56 of
the manifold is attached to tubing 57 leading to the instrument
being used (not shown). The other leg 58 of the "Y" manifold 55 is
connected to a second "Y" manifold 59, one leg 60 of which is
attached to the tubing 52 leading to the first solution container
11 and the other leg 61 is attached to the tubing 53 leading to the
second solution container 12. Clamps 62, 63, 64 are positioned on
the tubing to control the flow therein. The tubing 57 includes an
adaptor 65 on its end distal from the pouch 40 engageable with a
corresponding adaptor 66 on a section of tubing 67 the other end of
which also includes an adaptor 31 engageable with a short segment
32 of tubing for ultimate connection to an instrument (not
shown).
* * * * *