U.S. patent number 3,900,029 [Application Number 05/410,240] was granted by the patent office on 1975-08-19 for closed surgical evacuator.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Irving Melnick. Invention is credited to Irving Melnick, George W. Oakes.
United States Patent |
3,900,029 |
Melnick , et al. |
August 19, 1975 |
Closed surgical evacuator
Abstract
A surgical evacuator is described which includes a magnetic
purge valve wherein a magnetized, flap valve comprises a resilient
membrane portion attached to a ferromagnetic portion. In one
embodiment, the ferromagnetic portion is rigid and when the closure
member is in a closed position, an unattached portion of the
resilient membrane is in contact with a valve seat. In another
embodiment, a resilient membrane is impregnated with magnetic
particles rather than being attached to a rigid portion. An
evacuator bag includes a resilient, cup-shaped portion which is
compressible and expandable. The mouth of the resilient cup-shaped
portion is approximately at the widest cross-sectional perimeter of
the resilient cup-shaped portion. There are two inlet ports into
the evacuation bag, each including graduated plugs which can be cut
to allow attachment thereto of various size tubes. A splash cap,
including a plugged outlet port, encloses the purge valve. A
tapered tube is attachable at the splash-cap outlet port so that
the purge valve can be brought into communication with a sucking
device.
Inventors: |
Melnick; Irving (Danville,
VA), Oakes; George W. (Boston, VA) |
Assignee: |
Melnick; Irving (Danville,
VA)
|
Family
ID: |
23623865 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/410,240 |
Filed: |
October 26, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/133;
251/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
1/0011 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
1/00 (20060101); A61m 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/275,276,277,278,145.7 ;251/65 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gaudet; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Layton; Henry S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Griffin, Branigan and Butler
Claims
We claim:
1. A surgical evacuator for draining 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;
a purge port formed in said evacuator bag for evacuating fluids and
air from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed;
and,
a magnetic purge valve, said magnetic purge valve being a one-way
valve mounted so as to allow fluid and air to exhaust from said
evacuator bag through said purge port when said evacuator bag is
compressed, said magnetic purge valve rapidly closing upon
termination of said compression so as to prevent contaminants from
entering the bag through said purge port, said magnetic purge valve
comprising:
a valve-seat formed on said evacuator bag about said purge port,
said valve seat including a ferromagnetic portion surrounding said
purge port; and,
a valve-closure member being hingedly attached adjacent said purge
port so as to be movable between a closed position flat against
said valve seat and an open position moved away from said valve
seat, said valve-closure member comprising a ferromagnetic portion
and a resilient membrane portion, said ferromagnetic portion and
said resilient membrane portion being associated and attached to
one another so as to form a flexible resilient membrane spanning
said exhaust port, said spanning portion of said resilient membrane
being unsupported by a rigid member so that it is free to flex into
said exhaust port in response to a decrease in pressure in said
evacuator bag and thereby be pulled tightly over an edge of said
valve seat when said valve-closure member is in said closed
position;
one of said valve-seat ferromagnetic portion and said valve-closure
member ferromagnetic portion being permanently magnetized.
2. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
evacuator bag has a resilient, cup-shaped portion which is
compressible and expansible to decrease and increase the internal
volume of the evacuator bag and includes a rigid portion covering
the mouth of the resilient, cup-shaped portion, wherein the mouth
of said resilient, cup-shaped portion is approximately at the
widest cross-sectional perimeter of said resilient, cup-shaped
portion, and said resilient, cup-shaped portion is constructed of a
material having sufficient memory reliability such that when a
bottom thereof is pressed toward said rigid portion covering said
mouth, said bottom seeks to move away from the rigid portion and
thereby causes a negative pressure inside the evacuator bag.
3. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 2 wherein a groove is
formed on the inside surface of said evacuator-bag rigid portion
into which an outer edge of said cup-shaped portion fits and said
rigid portion includes an annular wall which extends along the
outer surface of said resilient cup-shaped portion.
4. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
ferromagnetic portion comprises a plurality of ferromagnetic
particles which are embedded in said resilient portion.
5. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein is further
included frangible plugs having stepped tapered lumens for either
plugging said respective drain inlets or for being cut at selected
longitudinal positions therealong to allow said lumens to receive
various size drain tubes and thereby attached them to said
respective inlets.
6. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein is further
included:
a splash guard cap mounted on the outer surface of said evacuator
bag covering said purge outlet, said splash guard cap defining an
aperture for directing the flow of fluids purged from said purge
port; and
a plug for selectively closing and opening said splash guard cap
aperture.
7. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 6 wherein said
splash-guard cap includes an adaptor protruding from a main portion
of said splash-guard cap for allowing said splash-guard cap to be
attached to a suction source.
8. A surgical evaucator as claimed in claim 7 wherein said plug has
the function of plugging the end of said adaptor means.
9. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a
patient comprising:
an evacuator bag, said evacuator bag having a resilient, cup-shaped
portion which is compressible and expandable to decrease and
increase the internal volume of the evacuator bag, and having a
rigid portion covering the mouth of said resilient cup-shaped
portion;
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;
a purge outlet formed in said evacuator bag for evacuating fluids
and air from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is
compressed; and
a one-way purge valve forming a part of said purge outlet, said
one-way purge valve being mounted so as to allow said fluids and
air to exhaust from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is
compressed, said one-way purge valve rapidly closing upon
termination of said compression to prevent contaminants from
entering said bag past said purge valve, wherein;
the mouth of said resilient, cup-shaped portion is located
approximately at the widest cross-sectional perimeter of said
resilient, cup-shaped portion, and said resilient, cup-shaped
portion is constructed of a material having sufficient memory
reliability such that when a bottom thereof is pressed toward said
rigid portion covering said mouth said bottom seeks to move away
from said rigid portion and thereby cause a negative pressure
inside said evacuator bag; and
a groove is formed on the inside surface of said evacuator-bag
rigid portion into which an outer edge of said cup-shaped portion
fits and said rigid portion includes an annular wall which extends
from said groove along the outer surface of said resilient cup
shaped portion, the inner surface of said wall leading continuously
and smoothly into said groove so that the outer surface of said
resilient cup shaped portion is held in contact with the inner
surface of said wall about the periphery thereof.
10. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 9 wherein said purge
valve includes a magnetizable closure member and a valve seat
having a magnetizable portion, said closure member being attracted
to said magnetizable portion of said valve seat.
11. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 9 wherein is further
included frangible plugs having stepped tapered lumens for plugging
said respective drain inlets or for being cut at selected
longitudinal positions therealong to allow said lumens to receive
various size drain tubes and thereby attach them to said respective
inlets.
12. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 9 wherein is further
included:
a splash guard cap mounted on the outer surface of said evacuator
bag covering said purge outlet, said splash guard cap defining an
aperture for directing the flow of fluids purged from said purge
port; and
a plug for selectively closing and opening said splash guard cap
aperture.
13. A surgical evaucator as claimed in claim 12 wherein said
splash-guard cap includes an adaptor protruding from a main portion
of said splash-guard cap for allowing said splash-guard cap to be
attached to a suction source.
14. A surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 13 wherein said plug
has the function of plugging the end of said adaptor means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates broadly to surgical drainage devices and
more particularly to surgical evacuators suitable for draining
wounds or infected areas of a patient's body.
The device described herein is similar to the evacuator device
described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,563 to Tussey et al., and related
devices are also described in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,115,138 to
McElvenny et al.; 3,376,868 to Mondiadis; and, 3,572,340 to Lloyd
et al. As was generally outlined in the Tussey et al. patent, the
contents of many prior-art evacuator units become relatively
quickly infected because they are open to outside environment for
varying periods of time during drainage as well as while activating
negative pressures. This allows room air to move in and out of
these units. The blood, serum, urine or lymph fluids that are
contained in such units are excellent culture media and minimal
bacteria contamination leads to rapid bacterial growth and severe
contamination.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a surgical
evacuator which has reduced communication with outside
atmosphere.
To accomplish this it is desirable to have a surgical evacuator
that is substantially completely closed with regard to external
atmosphere. In this respect, it is important that the required
valves and seals are reliable in operation. However, due to the
ease with which most units can become contaminated, it is virtually
impossible to keep any unit from eventually becoming contaminated
and, therefore, all units must eventually be discarded or
sterilized. If the units are to be discardable, they should not be
unduly expensive to manufacture. Thus, it is also an object of this
invention to provide a closed-system surgical evacuator having
reliable valves and seals but yet not being unduly expensive to
manufacture.
Further, it is necessary that a resilient portion of most surgical
evacuator bags be compressible and have sufficient memory
characteristics to thereafter expand and cause a negative pressure
inside the surgical evacuators. Such an expansible portion should
have the following characteristics:
1. It should be relatively easy to attach to a rigid portion of the
surgical evacuator while forming a good seal therewith;
2. It should provide even, negative pressure inside the surgical
evacuator;
3. It should be relatively easy to purposely compress but
relatively difficult to inadvertantly compress; and
4. It should be relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
It is an object of this invention to provide a resilient portion of
a surgical evacuator bag having these characteristics.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a surgical
evacuator in which the rate of fluid evacuation can be easily
monitored.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a surgical
evacuator which can be more completely purged of fluids than some
prior art evacuators.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to principles of this invention, a surgical-evacuator
purge-valve closure member includes a rigid ferromagnetic portion
and a resilient membrane portion. The rigid ferromagnetic portion
is attracted to a magnitizable valve seat. The resilient membrane
portion is attached to the bottom side of the rigid ferro magnetic
portion in an annular attachment area so that the unattached
portion of the membrane extends from said annular attachment area
across an exhaust port and is in contact with a valve seat when the
valve-closure member is in a closed postion. The rigid ferro
magnetic portion has a breather hole over the unattached portion of
the membrane. Thus, the membrane is free to be sucked into the
exhaust port to more effectively seat on the valve seat and close
the exhaust port.
In another embodiment, a resilient membrane of a flap-type purge
valve is impregnated with magnetic particles rather than being
attached to a rigid portion.
Also, a resilient portion of an evacuator bag is cup-shaped and has
a mouth located approximately at the widest portion of the
cup-shaped portion. A rigid portion of the evacuator bag covers the
mouth of the resilient, cup-shaped portion. The resilient,
cup-shaped portion is constructed of a material having sufficient
memory reliability such that after a bottom thereof is pressed
toward the rigid portion covering the mouth, the bottom seeks to
move away from the rigid portion and thereby causes a negative
pressure inside the evacuator bag.
There are two inlet ports, each being plugged by tapered plugs
which may be cut in cross-section to allow attachment of various
size tubes thereto.
Also according to principles of this invention, a splash-guard cap
covers the purge valve. The splash-guard cap has an outlet port
which can be plugged. The outlet port is attachable to a tapered
tube which can be brought into communication with a suction source.
In another embodiment the tapered tube is integral with the
splash-guard cap so that they form a single unit.
The resilient, cup-shaped portion of the evacuator bag is attached
to the rigid portion by means of an annular trough formed in the
rigid portion. Also, an annular wall formed on the rigid portion
encloses much of the resilient, cup-shaped portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the following more particular
description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which reference
characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views.
The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being
placed upon illustrating principles of the invention in a clear
manner.
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a surgical evacuator according to
the principles of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cutaway view of the purge valve portion of the surgical
evacuator of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a surgical evacuator according to
principles of this invention as it is being purged; and
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an alternate
embodiment of this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 depicts a surgical evacuator 11 which includes: a surgical
evacuator bag 13, with associated valves and seals; tapered inlet
plugs 15; and a splash guard cap 17 with an associated tapered tube
19.
The surgical evacuator bag 13 includes a resilient, circular,
cup-shaped portion 21 and a circular rigid portion 23.
In the preferred embodiment, the resilient, cup-shaped portion 21,
the tapered inlet plugs 15, the splash guard cap 17 and the tapered
tube 19 are constructed of a clear vinyl plastic and the circular,
rigid portion 23 is constructed of a clear styrene plastic. Both
vinyl and styrene plastics have transparent qualities which allow
an operator to observe operation of the evacuator. A flexible
hanger 24, having an eye therein, is attached to the rigid portion
23 to allow the unit to be pinned to a bed or a patient's
clothing.
The vinyl of the resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 has sufficient
memory reliability that when it is compressed, as shown in dashed
lines 25 in FIG. 2, it seeks to return to its original, solid line,
position, thereby creating a negative pressure inside the
surgical-evacuator bag 13. Ribs 27 formed on the interior surface
of the resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 enhance this memory
reliability.
There are two inlet ports 29a and b formed in the circular, rigid
portion 23. A single flap valve 33 is mounted underneath the inlet
ports 29a and b by means of a pin 31, which is integral with the
circular, rigid portion 23. In the preferred embodiment the pin 31
is a single square peg. The flap valve 33 prevents reflux of the
contents of the unit into drainage tubing. In this regard, whenever
the unit is on negative pressure, the valve will open and allow
free drainage into the unit. However, when the unit is purged,
increased pressure within the unit forces the flap 33 against a
valve seat 35 formed on the circular, rigid portion 23.
Turning now to a purge valve 37, shown in detail in FIG. 3, it
includes a closure member 39 formed of a magnet 41 and a resilient
membrane 43 and a valve seat comprised of a ferromagnetic washer 45
and a part 47 of the circular, rigid portion 23. The resilient
membrane 43 is mounted to the circular, rigid portion 23 by a
square peg 49 which is integral with the circular, rigid portion
23. The magnet 41 is attached to the upper surface of the resilient
membrane 43. When the closure member 39 is in the closed, solid
line position of FIG. II, the resilient membrane 43 covers an
exhaust port 51. The magnet 41 is attracted to the ferromagnetic
washer 45 which normally maintains the closure member 39 close to
the valve seat, even when fluids are being evacuated from the
surgical-evacuator bag 13 through the exhaust port 51.
It should be noted that the annular area at which the resilient
membrane 43 is attached to the magnet 41 is beyond the periphery of
the exhaust port 51 so that the resilient membrane 43 is pulled
down tightly over the sharp edge of the exhaust port 51 for
accomplishing reliable air tight closing of this port upon
completion of purging. In the preferred embodiment, the resilient
membrane 43 is constructed of latex rubber and it is glued to the
magnet 41; however, these features are not critical to the
invention and it is felt that other equivalents could be used. The
ferromagnetic washer 45 is an iron alloy and is coated with cadmium
to prevent rusting.
On the top surface of the circular, rigid portion 23, surrounding
the purge valve 37, is an integral elevated rim 53 which protects
the purge valve and serves as a mount for the splash-guard cap 17.
The splash-guard cap 17 has four main purposes. Firstly, the
closure member 39, being held close to the valve seat by magnetic
forces during purging, forces fluid out of the exhaust port 51
sideways. The splash guard directs this drainage in a rather
straight downward direction. Secondly, the splash guard cap 17 also
allows the unit to be closed to outside air by means of an integral
plug 55, should the closure member 37 be held open by a blood clot
or the like. Thirdly, by plugging the splash guard cap, if a
patient accidentally rolls over on the unit, the unit will not be
purged inadvertantly. Fourthly, the splash guard cap 17 serves as a
mount for the tapered tube 19 to which an external suction source
can be applied. This enables the unit to be automatically evacuated
when large volumes are being drained or nursing help is not
available. In the FIG. 1 embodiment the tapered tube 19 is separate
from the splash guard cap 17 however, in an alternate embodiment
described below it is formed integral therewith. In either case, a
plug, such as plug 55, is employed to close off an outlet of the
splash-guard cap 17.
A small calibrated well 57 is formed on the upper side of the
circular, rigid portion 23 which includes calibration indicia 59
thereon for measuring small amounts of evacuated fluids. The large
circumference portion of the circular, rigid portion 23 is also
calibrated in terms of larger measurements, however, these
calibrations are not shown in the drawings.
The tapered inlet plugs 15 are mounted on the circular, rigid
portion 23 so as to lead into the inlet ports 29a and b. Each of
these plugs is designed so that it has a tapered lumen 61, FIG. 2.
This allows a doctor to clip of the plugs at any of three locations
to allow a snug air tight fit for three different size drainage
tubes. Thus, the surgical evacuator 11 can be used to drain two
diverse body areas having diverse volume requirements.
It should also be noted that a surface 63 of the circular, rigid
portion 23 leading into the calibrated well 57 is tapered so that
when the surgical evacuator 11 is purged, as depicted in FIG. 5,
the unit is virtually completely drained of contents.
Formed about the perimeter of the tapered portion 63 on the bottom
side of the circular, rigid portion 23 is a groove 65, FIG. 2, into
which the outer edge 67 of the resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 is
inserted. The groove 65 has a rounded bottom and the outer edge 67
is rounded so that when it is inserted into the groove there is a
locking action which gives an airtight fit. In addition, an annular
wall 69 of the rigid portion 23 extends along the outer surface of
the resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 so that when the resilient
cup-shaped portion 21 is compressed, it presses outwardly against
the annular wall 69 to increase the seal between the resilient
portion 21 and the circular, rigid portion 23. The annular wall 69
also serves to protect the resilient, cup-shaped portion from being
inadvertantly compressed to some degree. In addition, the
resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 is adhered to the circular, rigid
portion 23 at the groove 65 by means of a solvent type glue. In
other embodiments, it is adhered by sonic welding or induction heat
sealing. The important feature is that the two units are sealed so
that a patient does not inadvertently separate the two halves.
In operation if the surgical evacuator 11 is to be used to evacuate
fluids from one portion of a patient, one of the tapered inlet
plugs 15 is cut so that it fits the proper-size evacuation tube and
the tube is inserted therein. Of course if two fluids are to be
evacuated from a patient, both of the tapered inlet plugs 15 are
cut and attached to the proper-size tubes.
The resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 is compressed to force air out
of the purge port 51 and is then released. The closure member 39
prevents air from flowing in the purge port 51, thus, as the
resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 seeks to return to its solid line
shape, FIG. 2, a negative pressure is applied through the flap
valve 33 to the inlet ports 29a and b.
When it is desired to purge the surgical evacuator 11, it is turned
upside down as depicted in FIG. 5. In this position, the volume of
fluid in the surgical evacuator 11 can be read on the calibration
indicia 59 of the calibrated well 57 if the amount of fluid is
small and on other calibration indicia (not shown) if the volume of
fluid is large. The resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 is then
compressed, forcing the closure member 39 of the purge valve 37
open to purge fluids from the unit. Once purging is completed, the
resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 is released to again apply
negative pressure to the inlet ports 29a and b. Thus, the unit is
purged and activated in one action.
FIG. 6 depicts alternate embodiments for some of the features of
the device of FIGS. 1-5. In one alternate embodiment a purge-valve
closure member 71 comprises a resilient membrane that has been
impregnated with magnetic particles. Thus, the resilient membrane
71 is held tightly against a valve seat 73 by magnetic attraction
between the magnetic particles and a ferromagnetic washer 75. In
this case the resilient membrane is again free to be sucked into
the valve seat 73 to some extent to form a good seal therewith. In
the preferred form of this feature the resilient membrane is made
of vinyl.
In another alternate embodiment a splash-guard cap 77 includes a
tapered tube 79 as an integral part thereof to replace the separate
tube 19 of the FIG. 1 embodiment. An external sucking device (not
shown) can be attached to the tapered tube 79. A splash-cap plug
81, also integral with the splash-guard cap 77, fits into the end
of the tapered tube 79 for a similar purpose as the integral plug
55 of FIG. 1.
It should be noted that a surgical evacuator of this invention is
relatively easy to assemble and should be contamination free for
relatively long periods of time. This device is particularly
attractive because it does not have to be uncoupled from patients
to be purged. Further, there are no plugs to remove for drainage,
nor does the unit need to be opened to activate a negative
pressure.
Further, the unit may be coupled to two diverse-size drainage
tubes.
In addition, the unit allows an operator to monitor the volume of
drainage.
Still further, the particular construction of the closure member of
the purge valve provides positive, fast and reliable closing of the
purge outlet upon completion of purging.
Also, the arrangement of the resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 is
uncomplicated, easy to assemble, protectable from inadvertant
purging and easy to actuate.
The splash guard cap 17 directs fluid flow, allows an operator an
additional means of closing a purge port 51, and allows a suction
device to be attached to the surgical evacuator 11 for aiding in
purging.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various
changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the
arrangement of the resilient, cup-shaped portion 21 as disclosed
herein could be used with a surgical evacuator which employs a
normal check valve rather than a magnetic check valve as is
described herein.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege are claimed are defined as follows:
* * * * *