Surgical suction irrigator

Abstract

A surgical irrigator for wounds which delivers a flushing solution to a wound, the irrigator includes first and second elongated concentric tubes, the first outer tube being connected to a solution supply and the second inner tube being connected to a solution suction, said tubes having substantially conjunctive terminating open ends, said outer tube having an orifice configuration with a plurality of apertures arranged around a central orifice of the inner tube, the outer tube being telescopically moveable relative to the inner tube.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a surgical device for cleansing wounds, particularly a device for flushing wounds with a liquid solution. In the past, wounds have customarily been flushed with solutions delivered from an aseptic syringe that directs a stream of liquid solution at a wound to cleanse the wound and dislodge any foreign matter in the wound. However, in using such devices, it is difficult to prevent the reflected solution from splashing the operator and adjacent equipment. Surgical drapes surrounding the area of the wound frequently become soiled by the flushing solution spilling from the wound. Further, the irrigation process by syringe requires pouring a bottle of irrigating fluid into a basin, repeated filling of an aseptic syringe by a nurse for the operating surgeon, and concurrent handling of a suction device by an assistant surgeon to remove the irrigation fluid. During such a cumbersome operation, spilling and splashing of flushing solution is inevitable. Because such wounds may harbor infectious bacteria, the possibility of contaminating splashed objects is a hazard that makes conventional devices unsatisfactory as well as inconvenient. The lack of control of the flushing solution requires repeated changing of drapes and surgical gowns.

The invented surgical suction irrigator delivers a smooth stream of fluid and concurrently evacuates the delivered fluid. This device substantially reduces splashing and thereby reduces the possibility of contamination. Further, use of the invented device reduces the number of items of irrigating equipment that are required for the irrigation operation thus reducing the risk of contamination. Also, the invented device reduces the number of items that must be sterilized after the irrigation process is completed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The surgical irrigator of this invention delivers a flushing solution to a wound and concurrently evacuates the solution to reduce splashing and contamination. The irrigator operates with any variety of fluids such as plain water, saline solutions or any variety of medicinal or antiseptic solutions. The irrigator is preferably constructed of metal to facilitate sterilization. However, the irrigator may be constructed of a glass, plastic or other material that can be easily cleaned and sterilized.

The irrigator is formed with a first supply conduit having an open end that effects a stream of fluid such as an external purgative saline solution which may be directed at a wound such as a laceration. A second suction conduit has an open end adjacent to the open end of the first conduit. The second conduit is attached to a suction means to continuously absorb by suction the ejected solution delivered from the first conduit.

In the preferred embodiment, a suction conduit having a circular cross section is arranged concentrically within a supply conduit having a circular cross section of diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the suction conduit. The open ends of each conduit terminate substantially at the same point for effective evacuation of delivered liquid.

In the preferred embodiment, the relative position of the open end of the suction conduit is telescopically adjustable to the position of the supply conduit to vary the relative rate of suction effect to the flow from the supply conduit.

The end of the outer supply conduit is formed with a plurality of summetrically arranged apertures to produce a plurality of converging streams of liquid for effective flushing of wounds and for removal of any foreign particles from the wound. The surgical suction irrigator is designed to the size of a large pencil for convenient and accurate manipulation. These and other features are shown in the drawings and described in greater detail in the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the suction irrigator with connecting hoses attached.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the two primary members of the suction irrigator separated.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the suction irrigator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the end of the irrigator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the end of the irrigator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the end of the irrigator of FIG. 1 with the two primary members in an adjusted relative position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 the preferred embodiment of the surgical suction irrigator designated by the reference numeral 10 is shown connected to two flexible hoses 12 and 14 to illustrate the manner of connecting the irrigator to collateral equipment when the irrigator is in use. The irrigator 10 is constructed with two primary members, a supply conduit 16 and a suction conduit 18. The two members are shown detached in the exploded view of FIG. 2 to illustrate with greater clarity the configuration of the two conduits 16 and 18.

The outer supply conduit 16 is formed by a hollow tube 20 of circular cross section having a connected tubular branch arm 22 near a top end 23 of the tube 20 which provides a continuous passage from a flared end 24 of branch arm 22 to discharge end 26 of the hollow tube.

The inner suction conduit 18 is formed by an elongated hollow tube 28 with a circular cross section of outside diameter that is smaller than the inside diameter of the hollow tube 20 of the supply conduit 16. The top of the inner tube 28 of the suction conduit 18 has a flared end 34. The flared end 34 of the inner tube 28 and the flared end 24 of the tubular branch arm 22 of the outer tube 20 provide slip resistant connectors for the two flexible hoses 12 and 14 as shown in FIG. 1. The opposite end 30 of the inner tube 28 terminates with a circular opening 31, shown in the end view of FIG. 4, discussed in greater detail hereafter.

On the outer surface of the inner tube is an enlargement 32 of diameter equal to the inside diameter of the hollow tube 20 of the supply conduit 16. The enlargement 32 provides a packing to seal the top end 23 of the hollow tube 20 when the inner suction conduit 18 is inserted within the outer supply conduit 16 as shown in FIG. 1. A detail of this connection is shown in FIG. 3. The packing enlargement 32 not only seals the top end 23 of the outer hollow tube 20, but it centers the inner tube 28 concentrically within the outer tube 20. The enlargement 32 is capped with an annular flange 35 which restricts the distance that the inner tube 28 can be inserted into the outer tube.

When fully inserted such that the annular flange 35 is seated on the top end 23 of the outer tube 20, the end 30 of the inner tube 28 terminates a short distance below the end 26 of the outer tube 20 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. By carefully withdrawing the inner tube 28, the end 30 can be retracted to the position shown in FIG. 6 where the end 30 of the inner tube is conjunctive with the end 26 of the outer tube. The function of this adjustment is described in the description of the operation of the surgical suction irrigator hereafter.

The end 26 of the outer tube 20 has a scalloped edge that is inwardly pinned against the outer surface of the inner tube to form a plurality of summetrically spaced apertures 36 around the end 30 of the inner tube as shown in FIG. 4. This arrangement both centers the end 30 of the inner tube 28 concentrically within the end 26 of the outer tube 20 and provides for a plurality of soft and smooth converging streams of fluid to be emitted during operation of the irrigator.

OPERATION

The tubular branch arm 22 of the outer tube 20 is connected to a flexible hose leading from a liquid source such as a saline solution in an elevated I.V. bottle (not shown). The elevated I.V. bottle gravity feeds a continuous flow of fluid down the supply conduit as schematically illustrated by the downwardly directed arrows in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 3. The rate of flow can be controlled by the elevation of the bottle or a conventional hose clamp (not shown). The saline solution is emitted in multiple converging streams from the multiple apertures 36 at the end 26 of the outer tube 20. In this manner the wound is irrigated and flushed of any foreign matter.

The inner tube 28 is connected to a flexible hose leading from a suction source such as a small vacuum pump (not shown). The vacuum pump evacuates the flushing solution concurrently with the delivery of the solution from the supply conduit 16. By selective adjustment of the distal ends of the two tubes, the effective rate of evacutation by the inner suction conduit can be controlled. For example, when the end 30 of the inner tube 28 projects beyond the end 26 of the outer tube 20 as shown in FIG. 5, the suction is at maximum effectiveness and evacuates solution at a greater rate than the rate of supply through the supply conduit 16. When the end 30 of the inner tube 28 is conjunctive with the end 26 of the outer tube 20 the effectiveness of the suction conduit 18 is reduced, and the supply tube delivers solution at a rate generally greater than can be evacuated by the suction conduit 18. This preferred operation level can be achieved by proper initial coordination of the supply rate from the supply source and the vacuum level of the vacuum source.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention has been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A medical irrigator for flushing wounds with a liquid comprising:

a. a first conduit having a first terminal open end and a second end having means for connecting said second end to a liquid supply means for delivering liquid to said first conduit;

b. a second conduit having a first terminal open end and a second end having means for connecting said second end to a liquid suction means for removing liquid from said conduit, said second conduit positioned within said first conduit and displaced from said first conduit, wherein said terminal end of said first conduit has a scalloped edge that is inwardly pinned against the outer surface of said second conduit forming a plurality of apertures therebetween.

2. The irrigator of claim 1 wherein said first conduit is tubular and said second conduit is tubular and is positioned concentrically within and displaced from said first conduit.

3. The irrigator of claim 2 wherein said means for connecting said second end of said first conduit comprises a tubular connecting branch arm with a flared end, and said means for connecting said second end of said second conduit comprise flared tubular end, said flared tubular ends being adapted to connect to flexible hoses.

4. The irrigator of claim 3 whereas said terminal open end of said first conduit is telescopically adjustable with said terminal open end of said second conduit.

5. The irrigator of claim 4 wherein said terminal open end of said first conduit includes a plurality of apertures arranged symmetrically around the first conduit.