Method Of Irrigating And Treating An Abcess

Abstract

The method of treating a cavity within an anatomy consisting in inserting an elongated member into the cavity, then forcing one barrel of a double hollow needle upon the elongated member for guidance of the needle into the cavity, then withdrawing the elongated member, then inserting an irrigating supply tube through one barrel of the double needle into the cavity, then inserting an irrigating drain tube through the other barrel of the double needle and into the cavity, then withdrawing the double needle upon the tubes out of the cavity with the tubes remaining in the cavity, then connecting a liquid supply line to said supply tube and a drain line to said drain tube, then supplying a liquid to the supply line for irrigating the cavity and draining out said drain line.

Description

SUMMARY

The invention relates to a method and device for treating an abcess within an anatomy without any surgery and includes hardware in the form of a fine hollow exploratory and guide needle, a stillette, a double hollow needle and a drain and a supply tube. An exploratory tapping of an abcess is done with the fine hollow needle. With the needle extended into the abcess, the stillette is inserted through the needle and into the abcess. The needle is then withdrawn with the stillette remaining in the abcess. The one barrel of the double needle is inserted upon the stillette thereby placing the double needle in the abcess. The stillette is then removed leaving the double needle extended into the abcess. A tube is inserted through each side of the double needle and into the abcess. The double needle is then removed leaving the tubes. One tube is used to supply the abcess with an irrigating and treating liquid which drains out the other tube.

The double needle is formed of two elongated hollow members connected together in parallel relation each of the hollow members having an angularly sharpened end which are positioned to form substantially a single pointed end with a substantially common apex.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view of a fine hollow exploring needle.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side view of a stillette.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view of a double hollow needle.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through a portion of an anatomy with the exploring needle extended into an abcess in the anatomy.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 but with the stillette extended through the exploring needle and into the abcess.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6 with the exploring needle withdrawn and the stillette remaining in the abcess.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 7 but with one side of the double needle inserted upon the stillette and into the abcess.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 8 but with the stillette removed and the double needle remaining in the abcess.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 9 but with an irrigating tube inserted through each side of the double needle and into the abcess.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 10 but with the double needle removed and the irrigating tubes remaining in the abcess.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11 but with the irrigating tubes connected to supply and drain lines.

Referring to the drawings in detail in FIG. 1 is illustrated a fine hollow exploratory and guide needle 16 having the relatively elongated thin tubular body 18 with the oblique sharpened outer end 20 and the base 22 on the inner end. Further provided is a stillette 24 which is formed of a length of fine substantially rigid wire of a diameter of about one sixty-fourth of an inch which is receivable in the needle 16. The numeral 26 designates a double needle which includes a first elongated hollow needle body 28 sharpened obliquely as at 30 at the outer end thereof and a second elongated hollow needle body 32 sharpened obliquely as at 34. The two needle bodies are secured and held together in parallel relation as one by the weld 36 and as such are a single unit. The oblique sharpened ends are positioned so as to form a single pointed end 37 with substantially a common apex. The inside diameter of each of the two needle bodies is such that it receives the stillette and the irrigating tubes hereinafter referred to.

Further provided are a pair of irrigating tubes 38 and 40, particularly FIGS. 11 and 12, and the supply line 42 and the drain line 44.

The method and device embodying the invention is used in the following manner. The fine hollow exploring needle 16 is inserted into the part of the anatomy illustrated as A until it extends into the abcess B, FIG. 5. With the needle in the abcess B a culture of the abcess is gotten by aspiration for testing as to what kind of antibiotic should be used in irrigational treatment of the abcess. The stillette 24 is then inserted through the exploring needle 16 and accurately guided into the abcess until the end of the stillette extends into the abcess FIG. 6. The needle 16 is then withdrawn from the abcess and anatomy over the stillette with the end of the stillette remaining in the abcess FIG. 7. Then one side, such as 28, of the double needle 26 is slipped onto the stillette and forced upon the stillette and easily and correctly guided by the stillette into the anatomy and into the abcess, FIG. 8.

Then the stillette 24 is removed from the abcess and anatomy through the side of the double needle with the end of the double needle remaining in the abcess, FIG. 9. Then a semi-rigid irrigating supply tube 38 is inserted through the double needle portion 28 until the end thereof extends into the abcess, FIG. 10. Then a semi rigid irrigating drain tube 40 is inserted through the double needle portion 32 until the end thereof extends into the abcess. Then the double needle 26 is withdrawn from the abcess and anatomy upon the tubes 38 and 40 with the inner ends of the tubes remaining in the abcess. Then the supply line tube 42 is connected to the outer end of the irrigating supply tube 38 and the drain line 44 is connected to the outer end of the drain line 44.

The abcess is irrigated by a fluid such as water by forcing the water in the supply line 42, through the supply irrigating tube 38 and into the abcess B. The irrigating water is drawn out of the abcess through the irrigating drain tube 40 and out the drain line 44 by means of conventional aspiration means or the like. Then the abcess may be treated by irrigating it with the desired liquid medication. In a similar manner a gall bladder may be irrigated to dissolve gall stones.

Claims

I claim:

1. The method of treating a cavity within an anatomy consisting in inserting an elongated member into the cavity, then forcing one barrel of a double hollow needle upon the elongated member for guidance of the needle into the cavity, then withdrawing the elongated member, then inserting an irrigating supply tube through one barrel of the double needle into the cavity, then inserting an irrigating drain tube through the other barrel of the double needle and into the cavity, then withdrawing the double needle upon the tubes out of the cavity with the tubes remaining in the cavity, then connecting a liquid supply line to said supply tube and a drain line to said drain tube, then supplying a liquid to the supply line for irrigating the cavity and draining out said drain line.

2. The method of irrigating a cavity within an anatomy according to claim 1 in which the step of inserting an elongated member into the cavity includes first inserting a fine hollow needle into the cavity, then inserting the elongated substantially rigid member through the hollow needle so that the end thereof extends into the cavity, then removing the needle from the cavity over the elongated member with the elongated member remaining in the cavity.

3. The method of irrigating a cavity in an anatomy consisting in inserting a double hollow needle into the cavity, then inserting an irrigating supply tube through one barrel of the double needle into the cavity, then inserting an irrigating drain tube through the other barrel of the double needle and into the cavity then withdrawing the double needle upon the tubes out of the cavity with the tubes remaining in the cavity, then connecting a liquid supply line to said supply tube and a drain line to said drain tube, then supplying a liquid to the supply line for irrigating the cavity and draining out said drain line.