U.S. patent number RE29,877 [Application Number 05/808,982] was granted by the patent office on 1979-01-09 for valved underwater drainage apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Deknatel Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert E. Bidwell, Leonard D. Kurtz.
United States Patent |
RE29,877 |
Kurtz , et al. |
January 9, 1979 |
Valved underwater drainage apparatus
Abstract
A drainage apparatus for evacuating fluids from cavities
including a collection chamber for collecting fluids from the body
cavity, a water seal chamber and a pressure regulator chamber. A
valve mechanism is provided in the water seal chamber to permit the
outflow of gases from the apparatus in the event of a sudden
increase in pressure in the device due to respiratory movements or
leakage of air.
Inventors: |
Kurtz; Leonard D. (Woodmere,
NY), Bidwell; Robert E. (Melville, NY) |
Assignee: |
Deknatel Inc. (Queens Village,
NY)
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Family
ID: |
23029323 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/808,982 |
Filed: |
June 22, 1977 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
269962 |
Jul 10, 1972 |
03853128 |
Dec 10, 1974 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
604/321 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
1/61 (20210501) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
1/00 (20060101); A61F 005/44 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/275-278,294-295 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Truluck; Dalton L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Larson, Taylor and Hinds
Claims
We claim:
1. In an underwater drainage device for draining fluid from a
pleural cavity comprising a collection chamber having an inlet, a
thoracotomy tube interconnecting the pleural cavity and the inlet
to said collection chamber whereby the collection chamber receives
and collects fluids drained from the pleural cavity, an outlet from
the collection chamber, a U-shaped water seal chamber, a U-shaped
manometer chamber, the upper end of one arm of the U-shaped water
seal chamber being connected to the outlet from the collection
chamber, the upper end of the other arm of the U-shaped water seal
chamber being connected to the upper end of one arm of the U-shaped
manometer chamber, the other arm of the U-shaped manometer chamber
being open to atmosphere, a connection from said device with a
source of suction, during normal operation the source of suction
maintaining the pleural cavity at a negative pressure determined by
the fluid in the manometer chamber, and .Iadd.check .Iaddend.valve
means .Iadd.disposed .Iaddend.in said device .Iadd.between the
water seal of the water seal chamber and the lower part of the
U-shaped manometer chamber on the normally lower pressure side
thereof, .Iaddend.said .Iadd.check .Iaddend.valve means being
normally closed and opening only during sudden abnormal conditions
when the pressure within the pleural cavity exceeds atmospheric
pressure, said valve means being an outlet to atmosphere in
addition to the outlet to atmosphere provided by the arm of the
U-shaped manometer chamber open to atmosphere, said valve means
being positioned in said device to vent to atmosphere sudden
positive pressure surges within the pleural cavity occurring even
during normal operation of the suction source and to prevent said
sudden positive pressure surges from causing fluid within the
U-shaped manometer chamber from passing out through the arm open to
atmosphere to vary the degree of vacuum imposed by the source of
suction.
2. In an underwater drainage device according to claim 1 wherein
said .Iadd.check .Iaddend.valve means is disposed in said device on
the low pressure side of the U-shaped manometer chamber.
3. In an underwater drainage device according to claim 1 wherein
said .Iadd.check .Iaddend.valve comprises an opening to atmosphere
in a wall of said device and means covering said .[.openings.].
.Iadd.opening .Iaddend.to atmosphere when the pressure within said
device is less than atmosphere. .Iadd. 4. In an underwater drainage
device according to claim 1 wherein said check valve means
comprising a mechanical seating member and a mechanical valve
member engagable with said seating member such that when said valve
member engages said seating member, said valve is closed and when
said valve member does not engage said seating member said valve is
open. .Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates to a drainage apparatus and more
particularly to an apparatus for draining fluids from a body
cavity, commonly referred to as an underwater drainage
apparatus.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,626 issued Jan. 16, 1968 there is disclosed
an underwater drainage apparatus of a one piece, unitary
construction. This device includes a collection or trap chamber for
collecting liquids from a body cavity, a water seal chamber which
prevents the passage of air from atomsphere into the body cavity, a
manometer chamber which regulates the degree of vacuum imposed in
the system. Under normal operating conditions the collection
chamber is connected by a thoracotomy tube to a patient's pleural
cavity. The device is connected to a suction pump and the amount of
liquid inthe manometer chamber determines the degree of vacuum
imposed. This system functions exceedingly well under most
conditions. However, certain respiratory ailments and conditions
result in sudden increases of pressure in the pleural cavity. For
example, a cough will produce a rapid increase in the pressure in
the pleural cavity and it is desirable to provide means which will
permit the sudden high pressure to be exhausted from the system
immediately without imposing a back pressure on the patient.
In the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,626 a sudden
increase in pressure in the patient's pleural cavity sometimes
causes the water in the manometer chamber to be forced out into
atmosphere. This renders the manometer chamber inoperative and
reduces the negativity imposed on the patient's pleural cavity.
According to the present invention there is provided a valve in the
water seal chamber which connects the water seal chamber with
atmosphere. During normal operating conditions when a substantial
degree of negativity is maintained in the water seal chamber, this
valve will remain closed. However, in the event of a sudden
increase in pressure within the pleural cavity the valve will open
thereby permitting the gas to escape to atmosphere and reduce the
pressure within the underwater drainage apparatus and pleural
cavity. As soon as the pressures are reduced the valve will close
and normal operating conditions will be resumed.
An object of the present invention is to provide an underwater
drainage apparatus with valve means to prevent sudden increases in
pressure within the pleural cavity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve in
the wall of the seal chamber in an underwater drainage apparatus to
prevent sudden increases in pressure within the pleural cavity.
Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present
invention will become more readily apparent upon consideration of
the following detailed specification in connection with the
accompanying drawing wherein:
FIG. 1 is a sectional view through an underwater drainage
apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the valve.
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the valve in open
position and
FIG. 4 is a face view of the exterior wall of the water seal
chamber showing the valve openings.
Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 there is shown an
underwater drainage device 10 which may be of a one piece
construction and molded of plastic or like material. The device
comprises a collection or trap chamber 11, a generally U-shaped
water seal chamber 12 and a manometer chamber 13.
The collection chamber 11 is provided with an inlet 14 which is
connected by means of a thoracotomy tube 15 with the patient's
pleural cavity to be drained. The collection chamber 11 has an
outlet 16 in communication with the inlet at the upper end of arm
17 of the U-shaped water seal chamber 12. The upper end of the
other arm 18 of the U-tube water seal chamber 12 communicates with
a suction outlet 19 and with the upper end of arm 20 of the U-tube
forming the manometer chamber 13. The other arm 21 of the manometer
chamber is open to atmosphere as shown.
The specific manner in which the underwater drainage apparatus
described herein operates is more fully set forth in prior U.S.
Pat. No. 3,363,626. In general liquid is placed in the water seal
chamber 12 and in the manometer chamber 13 with the outlet 19
connected to a source of suction. When the thoracotomy tube 15 is
placed in communication with the patient's pleural cavity, a vacuum
is imposed thereon, the degree of vacuum being determined by the
amount of water within the manometer chamber 13. Fluids within the
pleural cavity are drawn out through the thoracotomy tube with the
liquids falling into the collection chamber 11 and gases passing
through the water seal chamber 17 and 18 and through the suction
outlet.
It has been found that certain respiratory conditions will cause a
sudden increase in the pressure within the pleural cavity. For
example, a cough or an air leak will produce a sudden substantially
higher pressure within the pleural cavity which must be expelled in
order to permit normal respiratory action. In the underwater
drainage apparatus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,626 such a
sudden increase in pressure will cause the gases to pass through
the collection chamber, through the water seal chamber and may
force water out of the manometer chamber as the gases pass out
through the opening to atmosphere. Such an occurrence would cause a
substantial amount of the liquid in the manometer chamber to be
lost and, upon return to lower pressures in the pleural cavity, a
substantially lower vacuum will be imposed on the cavity by reason
of the loss of water in the manometer chamber. In fact, under
certain extreme conditions, all of the water in the manometer
chamber may be lost and consequently the suction pump would be
ineffective to produce any increased vacuum in the pleural
cavity.
According to the present invention there is provided a valve within
the wall of the water seal chamber, such valve being identified
generally in FIG. 1 at 22. It is to be noted that this valve is
disposed within the large arm 18 of the water seal chamber 12 and
the valve will normally remain in a closed position and will open
only in response to a substantially increased pressure within the
water seal chamber 12.
Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2 to 4 inclusive the wall of
the water seal chamber 18 is shown at 23. As can be seen in FIG. 4
the exterior wall is provided with a series of apertures 24
arranged in a circular pattern. Secured to the inner face of wall
23 is a plate 25 in the form of a disc having a circular peripheral
flange 26 and a recessed central portion. The recessed central
portion of plate 25 is provided with apertures 27 which are
disposed in a circular arrangement similar to the apertures 24 on
exterior wall 23. Secured to plate 25 at the center thereof is a
resilient disk valve 28, this disk valve having a central extension
or protuberance 29 which passes through an aperture in the plate 25
to secure the disk to the plate. The disk 28 covers the apertures
27 in plate 25 as shown in FIG. 2.
During normal operation of the underwater drainage apparatus the
reduced pressure within the device will maintain the valve 28
closed inasmuch as atmospheric pressure will be acting against the
outer face of the valve. However, during a cough or air leakage
condition within the pleural cavity creating a momentary high
pressure condition within the apparatus the valve will open as
shown in FIG. 3 so as to permit the excess gas to pass outwardly
through the apertures 27 and 24. When normal pressure conditions
within the apparatus are regained the valve will return to the
closed position.
While the valve is shown as used with an underwater drainage device
as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,626, it is obvious that this
valve mechanism may be used in conjunction with the modifications
of the apparatus shown in the aforementioned patent, such
modifications and improvements being shown for example in U.S. Pat.
No. 3,363,627 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,647.
It is also readily apparent that the valve mechanism could function
equally well when mounted at other locations within the underwater
drainage apparatus. For example, the valve 22 could be disposed
within a wall of the collection chamber, most conveniently towards
the upper end of this chamber. Alternatively the valve could be
located in the other arm 17 of the water seal chamber, in the
manometer chamber large arm 20 or even in the thoracotomy tube
itself. The function of the valve 22, as described hereinbefore, is
to permit the escape of gas within the drainage device when a
sudden increase in pressure occurs within the device and this
function can be performed with the valve located at various points
within the device.
The valve mechanism is shown as used on a three bottle system but
could be used in a two or one bottle underwater drainage system. In
a two bottle system the valve could be located in the underwater
seal chamber, in the collection chamber or in the thoracotomy
tube.
In a one bottle system the valve may be located in the collection
chamber or in the thoracotomy tube.
* * * * *