U.S. patent number 3,779,243 [Application Number 05/189,563] was granted by the patent office on 1973-12-18 for contamination free surgical evacuator.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Said Melnick and said Oakes by said Carr, Said Oakes by said Tussey. Invention is credited to Herbert F. Carr, Irving Melnick, George W. Oakes, Jimmy D. Tussey.
United States Patent |
3,779,243 |
Tussey , et al. |
December 18, 1973 |
CONTAMINATION FREE SURGICAL EVACUATOR
Abstract
A contamination free surgical evacuator comprising an evacuator
bag having valves in the input (drain) and the output (purge) lines
leading to and from the bag is disclosed. The drain valve is a
one-way flap valve that allows fluids to enter the bag from a
patient yet prevents fluids from returning to the patient. The
purge valve is a one-way magnetic valve that allows drained fluids
to be purged from the evacuator bag without allowing contaminants
to enter the bag. The evacuator bag is collapsible and is located
between a pair of rigid plates, one of which curves outwardly. The
drain and purge valves are located in the outwardly curved rigid
plate with the purge valve being located in a cup-like trap that
projects outwardly from the center of the curved shaped plate. The
cup-like trap includes graduations which allow the evacuator to be
utilized as an instrument to measure the rate of drainage from a
patient.
Inventors: |
Tussey; Jimmy D. (South Boston,
VA), Oakes; George W. (South Boston, VA), Carr; Herbert
F. (Ozark, AL), Melnick; Irving (Danville, VA) |
Assignee: |
Said Melnick and said Oakes by said
Carr (N/A)
Said Oakes by said Tussey (N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
22697868 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/189,563 |
Filed: |
October 15, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/133 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
1/0011 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
1/00 (20060101); A61m 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/275-278,145.5-145.8 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Rosenbaum; Charles F.
Claims
The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A surgical evacuator for draining the fluids from the body of a
patient comprising:
an evacuator bag, said evacuator bag being compressible and
expandable to decrease and increase the internal volume of the
evacuator bag;
a drain inlet formed in said evacuator bag for connection to a
drain tube adapted to drain fluids from the body of a patient into
said evacuator bag;
an exhaust outlet formed in said evacuator bag for evacuating
fluids and air from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is
compressed; and,
a magnetic exhaust valve forming a part of said exhaust outlet,
said magnetic exhaust valve being a one-way valve mounted so as to
allow said fluids and air to exhaust from said evacuator bag when
said evacuator bag is compressed, said magnetic exhaust valve
rapidly closing upon termination of said compression so as to
prevent contaminants from entering said bag through said exhaust
valve, said magnetic exhaust valve comprising:
a cylinder formed of a ferromagnetic material and having a central
aperture; and,
a disc formed of a ferromagnetic material, said disc being hingedly
attached to said cylinder so as to normally close said central
aperture in said cylinder by magnetic attraction therebetween, said
disc being movable with respect to said cylinder to provide a
passageway between said cylinder and said disc upon the application
of a sufficient pressure through said central aperture in said
cylinder, one of said cylinder and said disc being permanently
magnetized.
2. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hinged attachment
between said disc and said cylinder includes a gasket permanently
attached on one side to one of said disc and said cylinder and
partially attached on the other side to the other of said disc and
said cylinder.
3. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 2 including an inlet valve forming a
part of said drain inlet, said inlet valve being a one-way valve
which allows fluids to drain from the body of said patient into
said evacuator bag and prevent the return of fluid and air from
said evacuator bag to said patient when said evacuator bag is
compressed.
4. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 3 wherein said inlet valve comprises a
cylinder having a central aperture therein and a resilient disc,
said disc being attached to said cylinder along a portion of its
periphery so as to normally close said aperture and prevent fluid
from passing through said valve, said disc being movable away from
said cylinder to provide a passage through said inlet valve upon
the application of a suitable force to said disc.
5. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 4 including first and second rigid
plates, said evacuator bag being mounted between said first and
second rigid plates and being attached thereto, said plates being
generally mounted in a parallel manner, one of said plates being
flat and the other curving outwardly, said drain inlet and said
evacuator outlet passing though said outwardly curving plate.
6. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 5 including a cup-like trap projecting
outwardly from said outwardly curving plate, said evacuator outlet
passing through said cup-like trap, said cup-like trap having at
least one graduation thereon.
7. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 6 including a plurality of coil springs
mounted in said evacuator bag between said pair of plates so as to
maintain said evacuator bag in an expanded state until pressure is
applied to compress said plates toward one another.
8. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 7 wherein said rigid plates are in the
form of a non-rectangular parallelograms with rounded corners and
wherein the plate remote from the plate through which said drain
inlet and exhaust outlet pass includes first and second apertures
which allow said evacuator bag to be attached to the body of a
patient.
9. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 1 including an inlet valve forming a
part of said drain inlet, said inlet valve being a one-way valve
which allows fluids to drain from the body of said patient into
said evacuator bag and prevent the return of fluid and air from
said evacuator bag to said patient when said evacuator bag is
compressed.
10. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 9 wherein said inlet valve comprises a
cylinder having a central aperture therein and a resilient disc,
said disc being attached to said cylinder along a portion of its
periphery so as to normally close said aperture and prevent fluid
from passing through said valve, said disc being movable away from
said cylinder to provide a passage through said inlet valve upon
the application of a suitable force to said disc.
11. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 10 including first and second rigid
plates, said evacuator bag being mounted between said first and
second rigid plates and being attached thereto, said plates being
generally mounted in a parallel manner, one of said plates being
flat and the other curving outwardly, said drain inlet and said
evacuator outlet passing through said outwardly curving plate.
12. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 11 including a cup-like trap projecting
outwardly from said outwardly curving plate, said evacuator outlet
passing through said cup-like trap, said cup-like trap having at
least one graduation thereon.
13. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 12 including a plurality of coil
springs mounted in said evacuator bag between said pair of plates
so as to maintain said evacuator bag in an expanded state until
pressure is applied to compress said plates toward one another.
14. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 13 wherein said rigid plates are in the
form of non-rectangular parallelograms with rounded corners and
wherein the plate remote from the plate through which said drain
inlet and exhaust outlet pass includes first and second apertures
which allow said evacuator bag to be attached to the body of a
patient.
15. A surgical evacuator for draining the fluids from the body of a
patient comprising:
an evacuator bag, said evacuator bag being compressible and
expandable to decrease and increase the internal volume of the
evacuator bag;
a drain inlet formed in said evacuator bag for connection to a
drain tube adapted to drain fluids from the body of a patient into
said evacuator bag;
an exhaust outlet formed in said evacuator bag for evacuating
fluids and air from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is
compressed;
a magnetic exhaust valve forming a part of said exhaust outlet,
said magnetic exhaust valve being a one-way valve mounted so as to
allow said fluids and air to exhaust from said evacuator bag when
said evacuator bag is compressed, said magnetic exhaust valve
rapidly closing upon termination of said compression to prevent
contaminants from entering said bag through said exhaust valve;
and,
first and second rigid plates, said evacuator bag being mounted
between said first and second rigid plates and being attached
thereto, said plates being generally mounted in a parallel manner,
one of said plates being flat and the other curving outwardly, said
drain inlet and said evacuator outlet passing through said
outwardly curving plate.
16. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 15 including a cup-like trap projecting
outwardly from said outwardly curving plate, said evacuator outlet
passing through said cup-like trap, said cup-like trap having at
least one graduation thereon.
17. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 16 including a plurality of coil
springs mounted in said evacuator bag between said pair of plates
so as to maintain said evacuator bag in an expanded state until
pressure is applied to compress said plates toward one another.
18. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient as claimed in claim 17 wherein said rigid plates are in the
form of non-rectangular parallelograms with rounded corners and
wherein the plate remote from the plate through which said drain
inlet and exhaust outlet pass includes first and second apertures
which allow said evacuator bag to be attached to the body of a
patient.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to surgical drainage devices and more
particularly to surgical evacuators suitable for draining wounds or
infected areas of a patient's body.
Various types of surgical evacuator devices have been proposed and
some of them are in use. These devices vary from pumps to suction
evacuator devices. Pumps generally have the disadvantage that they
are bulky and, therefor, difficult to attach to a patient in a
manner that allows him to move about during recovery from an injury
or operation. For this reason, vacuum or suction evacuators
generally have been found to be more useful.
In operation, a vacuum or suction evacuator is first compressed to
a small size. As the bag portion of the evacuator expands to it's
normal size a suction is created. The suction is utilized to drain
a patients wound through suitable drainage tubes. Evacuators that
use this principle of operation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.
3,115,138 to McElvenny et al.; 3,276,868 to Mondiadis; and,
3,572,340 to Lloyd et al. While evacuators of this general nature
have been somewhat satisfactory, they all have one common
disadvantage. Specifically, all of these evacuators are "open"
evacuators whereby they allow bacteria and other contaminants to
enter the region of the patient being drained. More specifically,
these evacuators are first compressed to force air from the bags
through a normally plugged opening. Then the plug is replaced and
the desired fluids are drained into the evacuator bag. When the bag
is suitably full, the plug is again removed and the bag is
compressed to exhaust the fluids through the opening previously
plugged. Then the plug is again replaced. The major problem with
such an evacuation procedure is the time periods during which the
plug is removed and fluid (or air) is not being exhausted. During
these periods of time contaminants can enter the bag. From the bag
the contaminants can then enter the body of the patient through the
drainage tube where they can cause infection. For this, as well as
other reasons, these devices have not found as widespread use as
possible.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and
improved surgical evacuator.
It is another object of this invention to provide a surgical
evacuator that is completely closed with regard to the external
atmosphere.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a new and
improved surgical evacuator suitable for draining fluids from a
patient without allowing contaminants to enter the body of the
patient through the evacuator.
Another disadvantage of prior art evacuators, particularly of the
type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,138 to McElvenny et al., is
the difficulty of entirely draining the evacuator because the
plates between which the evacuator bag is located are generally
parallel. The parallel plates prevent the fluid from easily
reaching the evacuation opening because they allow a portion of the
fluid being purged to lie on the lower most parallel plate during
purging.
Consequently, it is a further object of this invention to provide a
new and improved surgical evacuator that can be more completely
purged of fluids than prior art evacuators.
Yet another disadvantage of prior art surgical evacuators is the
difficulty of determining when to remove the drainage tube from a
patient. More specifically, as a wound heals the amount of drainage
therefrom reduces until it flows from the wound in a drop-by-drop
manner. The prior art procedure for determining when to remove an
evacuator drain tube from a wound to prevent it from healing into
the wound or sucking a portion of the patients flesh into the
openings in the drainage tube has been for a nurse or medical
technician to count the number of fluid drops that pass through the
tube during a predetermined period of time. When the rate of flow
reaches a predetermined level, the drainage tube is removed from
the wound. Hence, prior art evacuators require that a nurse or
medical technican constantly observe the drainage tube for an
extended period of time just prior to removal so that removal can
be promptly performed. It will be appreciated that such procedure
is time consuming and, therefore, costly to the patient.
Consequently it is a still further object of this invention to
provide a new and improved surgical evacuator that allows the rate
of drainage of a wound to be measured without requiring constant
observation of the evacuator and drainage tube.
Another disadvantage of prior art surgical evacuators is the
difficulty of compressing them with one hand to create the desired
vacuum. Very often, two hands are required to completely collapse
the bag. Alternatively, the bag may be compressed by pressing the
evacuator against the body of the patient. For obvious reasons,
neither of these approaches is entirely satisfactory.
Hence, it is yet a further object of this invention to provide a
new and improved surgical evacuator that can be compressed with one
hand alone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with principles of this invention, a contamination
free surgical evacuator is provided. The evacuator comprises an
evacuator bag having valves in the lines leading to and from the
bag. The evacuator bag is located between a pair of rigid plates,
one of which is curved outwardly, and is collapsible to create a
suction on the input line. The drain or input line includes a
one-way drain valve that allows fluids to rapidly or slowly enter
the bag from the body of a patient while preventing the escape of
fluids or gases from the evacuator bag into the body. The exhaust
or output line includes a one-way exhaust valve that allows the bag
to be purged or exhausted to empty the bag and create a drainage
suction without allowing contaminants to enter the bag. The curved
portion of the rigid plate has the evacuator valve centrally
located therein so as to form a well that allows the evacuator bag
to be completely exhausted or purged.
In accordance with other principles of this invention a cup-like
trap projects outwardly from the center of the curved rigid plate
and the exhaust valve is mounted therein. The cup-like trap has
graduations written about its outer surface which allow the rate of
flow of fluids into the bag from the patient to be measured. More
specifically, after the bag is evacuated or purged, fluids are
allowed to drain into the bag for a predetermined period of time.
Thereafter, the bag is oriented in a manner such that the
cup-shaped region is at the bottom of the bag. The graduations
indicate the amount of fluid that has entered the bag during the
predetermined perod of time.
In accordance with further principles of this invention, the drain
valve is a relatively uncomplicated, yet novel, flap type valve
formed of a disc of resilient material attached along a portion of
its periphery to a cylinder of material so as to close the central
aperture in the cylinder. More specifically, the attachment region
causes the disc to normally close the central aperture. However,
when a suitable pressure is applied through the aperture, by
creating a vacuum on the other side of the central aperture, for
example, the unattached portion of the disc moves away from the
aperture; whereby, a passageway is provided.
In accordance with yet other principles of this invention, the
exhaust valve is a magnetic disc valve. Preferably, the valve is
formed of a permanently magnetized component and a ferromagnetic
component, one of which is a disc and the other of which is a ring
or cylinder. The disc is separated from the cylinder by a suitably
compressible washer. One side of the washer is afixed over its
entire adjacent surface to either the ring or the disc. Only a
portion of the periphery of the other side of the washer is
attached to the opposing element i.e. the disc or ring, as the case
may be. The unattached portion of the washer moves away from the
element to which it is unattached when a suitable pressure is
applied through the aperture in the cylinder, such as when the
evacuator bag is compressed, for example. The ring is located
either inside or outside of a suitable cylindrical housing, as
desired.
In accordance with yet other principles of this invention, springs
are located inside of the collapsible bag so as to cause the bag to
expand to a normal expanded state. Moreover, the rigid plates are
so as to allow the bag to be hung from the waist, or other suitable
location, on either side of a patient. Further, the valves are
preferably located midway between the ends of the evacuator so that
fluids do not create additional pressure on the valves when the bag
is less than one-half full.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing summary of the invention
that a contamination free surgical evacuator is provided by the
invention. Because an outlet valve that closes immediately upon the
relaxation of pressure against the plates is provided, the bag can
be purged or exhausted without allowing contaminants to enter the
bag. In addition, the application of pressure to the bag will not
cause pressure to be applied to the wound of the patient via the
drain tube because the inlet valve is closed when such pressure is
applied. Further, the evacuator can be completely drained because
one of the rigid plates curves outwardly to provide a well for
fluid to drain into prior to being purged from the bag. Also,
because the bag provides a means for measuring the rate of drainage
over a predetrmined period of time, the prior art requirement that
the drain tube be constantly observed just prior to drainage tube
removal is eliminated. Moreover, the evacuator of the invention can
be attached to either side of the patient, as desired. Yet, neither
position of the two positions in which the bag is normally attached
to a patient causes the application of fluid pressure to either of
the valves when the evacuator bag is less than half full. Finally,
because the bag is mounted between a pair of relatively resilient
plates it can be compressed by a single hand alone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing objects and many of the attendant advantages of this
invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes
better understood by reference to the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and
illustrates the interior of the evacuator including a preferred
embodiment of the outlet valve;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of an
inlet valve suitable for use in the embodiment of the invention
illustrated in FIG. 1; and,
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of an
outlet valve suitable for use in the embodiment of the invention
and illustrated in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram of a preferred embodiment of a
surgical evacuator 11 formed in accordance with the invention. The
surgical evacuator 11 comprises an inner plate 13 and an outer
plate 15 formed of a suitably rigid, relatively thin material such
as plastic, for example. The inner plate is flat and normally
resides next to a patients body at his waist. The outer plate 15
curves outwardly from a plane that is parallel to, but separated
from, the inner plate 13. A central cup-like trap 16 projects
outwardly from the center of the outwardly curving outer plate 15
and includes a plurality of graduations 17 about its outer
periphery. As hereinafter described, the graduations 17 allow the
evacuator to be used as a measuring device for measuring the rate
of flow of a fluid from the patient's body.
As can be seen in FIG. 1, the inner and outer plates 13 and 15 are
generally non-rectangular parallelograms having rounded corners. Of
course, as indicated above, the outer plate 15 is not flat, rather,
it curves outwardly. The inner plate 13 is slightly longer than the
outer plate 15 and includes two apertures 18, one located at either
of its farthest separated ends. The apertures 18 allow the surgical
evacuator 11 to be attached by a wire hanger or cord to a patients
body at his waist in a manner such that the evacuator is "hung"
from either side of the patient, as desired.
Located between the inner and outer plates 13 and 15 is a bag 19
formed of a suitably collapsible material, such as relatively thin
polyvinyl chloride, for example. The bag 19 includes inner and
outer sides 21 and 23 attached to and generally the size and shape
of the inner and outer plates 13 and 15. Any suitable attachment
material, such as a rubber or epoxy adhesive, can be utilized to
attach the inner and outer sides 21 and 23 of the bag 19 to the
plates 13 and 15. Located inside of the bag 19 are a plurality of
coil springs 25 which normally maintain the bag expanded by
pressing the plates 13 and 15 away from another. When the plates
are compressed toward one another, the coil springs 25 compress and
the volume of space in the bag is decreased. When the plates are
released the coil springs resume their normal shape and increase
the volume of space in the bag 19. Since the inner and outer plates
13 and 15 are relatively rigid, it will be appreciated that
compression can be created by a single hand alone pressing the
plates toward one another. Preferably, the coil springs are four in
number, one being located in each of the four corners defined by
the inner and outer plates 13 and 15.
Located in the center of the cup-like trap 16 of the outer plate 15
is an outlet region 27. Also located in the outer plate 15, in a
corner intermediate the "hanging" ends of the evacuator, is an
outlet region 29.
As illustrated in FIG. 3 the inlet region 29 comprises a housing 31
formed of a cylinder of relatively rigid plastic. The cylindrical
housing 31 passes through both the outer plate 15 and the outer
side 23 of the bag 19 so as to provide a passageway into the
interior of the bag 19. The cylindrical housing includes a
cylindrical central aperture 32 in which a valve 33 is mounted.
The valve 33 comprises a valve cylinder 39 that is normally closed
at its inner end by a disc 41. The disc is formed of a suitably
resilient plastic or rubber such as surgical rubber, for example,
and is attached along a portion of its periphery to the valve
cylinder 39. This manner of attachment allows the disc to normally
close a cylindrical aperture 43 in the valve cylinder 39. When a
suitable pressure occurs in the direction of the arrow illustrated
in FIG. 3, the disc 41 moves away from the lower end of the
cylinder 39 and allows a drainage fluid passing through a drainage
tube 38 to flow past the disc. The pressure may be caused by
suction from the bag 19, for example. The drainage tube 38 snugly
fits inside of the upper portion of the cylindrical housing 31
adjacent to the valve cylinder 39 in the manner illustrated in FIG.
3.
A flex finger 45, attached to the lower surface of the disc 41 in
the same region as the disc is attached to the valve cylinder 39
prevents the valve disc 41 from opening beyond a predetermined
angle .alpha.. Moreoever, the flex finger 45 provides positive
closure in that it does not allow the disc 41 to move beyond its
resiliency point.
Reference is hereby made to a U.S. patent application entitled
"Flushing Catheter With Anti-Reverse Valve" and filed by the
inventors named herein on Sept. 27, 1971 as U.S. Pat. application
Ser. No. 184,009 now abandoned, for a more complete description of
a valve of the type illustrated in FIG. 3.
The outlet region 27 includes an exhaust valve 47. The exhaust
valve 47 includes a ferromagnetic ring 49 which surrounds a
cylinder 51 which may be formed as part of the outer plate 15 or
separate therefrom. The aperture in the cylinder 51 is closed by a
permanent magnetic disc 53 and is separated from the cylinder 51
and the ferromagnetic ring 49 by a soft plastic washer gasket 55.
The gasket 55 is attached over it's entire adjacent surface to the
disc 53 and along a portion of it's adjacent surface to the
ferromagnetic ring 49 and, if desired to a portion of the outer end
of the cylinder 51. This manner of attachment allows the permanent
magnetic disc 53 and the gasket to move away from the ferromagnetic
ring 49 where the gasket is not attached thereto by stretching the
gasket. Yet, side slip or side movement between the ferromagnetic
ring 49 and the permanent magnetic disc 53 is prevented because a
portion of the gasket is attached to the ferromagnetic ring 49.
Alternatively, the adjacent surface of the gasket 55 could be
entirely attached to the ring 49 where it impinges thereon and only
a portion of the adjacent surface could be attached to the magnetic
disc 53. In this case, the gasket must have a central aperture that
coincides with the aperture in the cylinder 51. It will be
appreciated that this method of attachment allows only the disc to
move away from the gasket along the nonattached region rather than
the gasket and the disc moving away from the ring 49.
Regardless of the method of attachment, magnetic attraction
normally presses the disc tightly toward the outer surface of the
ferromagnetic ring 49 so as to slightly compress the washer 55 and
prevent leakage between these elements. On the other hand, when a
suitable pressure is applied to the disc through the aperture in
the cylinder 51, the magnetic attraction force is overcome and the
magnetic disc 53 moves away from the ferromagnetic ring 49. Thus, a
passageway between these elements is created. This passageway
allows gases trapped inside of the evacuator bag, as well as
fluids, to exhaust from the evacuator bag. A cap 57 having a
opening 59 is mounted about the ring 47 so as to prevent the
exhausting fluid from spraying out. That is, fluid spray passing
through the valve 47, illustrated in FIG. 2, is trapped by the cap
57. The trapped fluid leaves the cap via the aperture 59. It will
be appreciated that the cap must be sufficiently separated from the
disc 53 to allow the disc to open when pressure is applied
thereto.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an alternative
embodiment 59 of an exhaust valve suitable for use in the
embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. More
specifically, the exhaust valve 59 illustrated in FIG. 4 comprises
a cylindrical housing 61 that passes through the outer plate 15 and
the outer wall 23 of the bag 19. Located near the outer end of the
cylindrical housing 61 is a cylindrical magnetic ring 63. The
cylindrical magnet 63 is separated from a ferromagnetic disc 65 by
a soft plastic washer gasket 67. It should be noted, that the
functions of the disc and the ring are reversed from the functions
illustrated in FIG. 2 i.e. the disc is ferromagnetic, rather than
permanently magnetized, and the ring is permanently magnetized
rather than ferromagnetic. This change is illustrated and discussed
so that it will be clearly understood that the functions of these
two items can be reversed. Moreover, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and
4, the ring can be located inside or outside of a suitable
cylindrical housing. Other than these changes, the attachment
between the disc, the gasket, and the ring is the same. That is,
the gasket is attached over its entire surface adjacent to either
the disc or the ring and the cylindrical housing 61, as desired,
with the other side attached over only a portion to the opposite
component or components. This manner of attachment allows the disc
65 to move away from the ring 63 upon the application of a suitable
pressure to provide a passageway therebetween. The cylindrical
housing 61 is surrounded by the terminal 69 of a suitable exhaust
tube 71. This is an alternative to the cap 57 illustrated in FIG. 2
and heretofore described. The exhaust tube 71 allows exhausting
fluid or air to be exhausted to a suitable receptacle, remote from
the location of the evacuator as opposed to a receptacle adjacent
to the evacuator as required by the cap arrangement.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing description of a
preferred embodiment that a medical or surgical evacuator suitable
for the automatic extraction of body fluids is provided by the
invention. While the invention is primarily useful in
post-operative blood drainage, it is not restrictive to such
drainage, but can be used for other fluid drainage, as desired.
The invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art devices
which are not contamination free by providing a positive closure
inlet valve that prevents entry of bacteria, fluid, air or other
contaminants into a patients body during evacuation of the bag.
More specifically, the evacuator bag of the invention is evacuated
by compressing the inner and outer plates 13 and 15 toward one
another and, thereby compressing the coil springs 25. This action
creates a pressure that opens the exhaust valve and allows fluid or
air trapped inside of the bag to exhaust therefrom. Because rapid
purging occurs, contaminants are prevented from entering the bag
through the exhaust valve during purging. Moreover, because the
inlet valve is closed during purging, fluids and other materials in
the bag are prevented from entering the body of a patient through
the drainage tube 38. When maximum evacuation or purging has
occurred, the plates are released and the exhaust valve closes.
Thereafter, suction from the bag opens the inlet valve and fluids
are drained from the body of the patient.
It is to be understood that the purge or exhaust valve is a
pressure device designed specifically to withstand the weight
pressure of accumulated fluid in the evacuator device but opening
relatively freely under additional hand pressure to allow purging
of the evacuator bag of fluid or air. That is, the normal weight of
fluids in the evacuator bag is insufficient to open the magnetic
exhaust valve. However, when the plates are pressed toward one
another the magnetic attraction between the ferromagnetic component
of the valve and the permanent magnet component of the valve is
overcome and purging occurs. Closure is rapid and immediate and,
thus, the delay time of prior art devices caused by the removal and
return of a cap plug is overcome. Hence, external contaminants are
prevented from entering the bag.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that because
the outer plate 15 is curved outwardly and includes a cup-like trap
16, the evacuator of the invention can be fully evacuated. More
specifically, the evacuator bag is evacuated when it is inverted
from the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. When in this
position, the plates are compressed toward one another under hand
pressure. When this occurs, the gases or pressure in the evacuator
bag located above the fluid (which is at the bottom of the bag)
causes the fluid to exhaust through the exhaust valve. Because all
the fluid flows toward the exhaust valve, it is completely
evacuated from the bag and does not lie along the bottom surface of
the bag as with prior art evacuators. Hence, the evacuator bag can
be fully evacuated.
In addition to evacuation, the invention can be utilized to measure
the rate of drainage from a wound. More specifically, after the
evacuator bag has been fully evacuated of fluids, it will drain
fluids from the body of a patient in the manner previously
described. After a suitable period of time has elapsed the bag can
be inverted from the position illustrated in FIG. 2 to its normal
purge position. The drained fluids will then lie in the cup-like
shaped trap 16. By reading the graduations 17 written on the
surface of the cup-like trap 16, an indication of the amount of
fluid that has drained from the patients body during the time
period is provided. It will be appreciated that, in order for such
a measurement to be performed, the outer plate 15 and the bag 23
must be formed of a transparent material. Because the rate of
drainage flow can be measured by the invention, a nurse or doctor
utilizing the invention can easily determine whether or not to
remove the drainage tube from the patients body. Yet, the nurse or
doctor is not required to constantly observe the drainage of fluid
through the drainage tube.
It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art and others,
from the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the
invention that, because relatively rigid inner and outer plates are
provided, the evacuator can be compressed by a single hand alone.
Moreover, because of its unique configuration, the evacuator can be
hung on either side of a patient without changing the relative
location of the inlet and outlet valves, except for reversing
them.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated
and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art
and others that various changes can be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Hence, the
invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described
herein.
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