Drainage apparatus and method

• US 20070078444A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medela Holding AG (Olle Larsson Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Medela Holding AG (Olle Larsson Holding AG)
• Inventors: Larsson, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,976,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/540
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/743 by changing the cross-section of the line, e.g. flow regulating valves A61M1/7413 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/85 with gas or fluid supply means, e.g. for supplying rinsing fluids or anticoagulants for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92, A61M1/94; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463; dental instruments with combined rinsing and aspirating A61C17/0208
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/90 Negative pressure wound therapy devices, i.e. devices for applying suction to a wound to promote healing, e.g. including a vacuum dressing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/101 Pleural cavity

Abstract

An apparatus for removing body fluids from a body cavity by suction, such as a thorax, gastric or any other human body cavity or a wound, comprises means (9) to increase the pressure difference between a pressure in a drainage lumen (3) and a pressure in the atmosphere when an auxiliary lumen (5) is open. The apparatus enables removal of clots or other plugs of the catheter and drainage tube in an efficient and not patient disturbing way.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing body fluids from a body cavity by suction, comprising:

a catheter having a drainage lumen and an auxiliary lumen adapted for placement adjacent a wound in the body cavity to be drained of body fluid, the drainage lumen having a proximal end being in fluid communication with a proximal end of the auxiliary lumen;

a container for connection in fluid communication with the drainage lumen and for receiving body drainage fluid from the body cavity;

a source of suction (1) for effecting negative pressure in the drainage lumen;

a valve for opening the auxiliary lumen in order to supply air or gas to the body cavity; and

a controller provided to increase the pressure difference between a pressure in the drainage lumen and a pressure in the atmosphere when the auxiliary lumen is open.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the source of suction is a suction pump and the controller controls the suction power of the suction pump.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first pressure sensor measuring the pressure in the auxiliary lumen and being in communication with the controller.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is in communication with the valve for opening the auxiliary lumen.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure difference can be increased to achieve a negative pressure level in the drainage lumen being at least half of the negative pressure level during drainage.

6. The apparatus of claims 1 further comprising a means for measuring the pressure in at least one of the group of the container and the drainage lumen.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein this means is a second pressure sensor.

8. The apparatus of one of claim 7, wherein the controller is in communication with the second pressure sensor.

9. The apparatus of claims 1 wherein the controller is increasing the pressure continuously.

10. The apparatus of claims 1, wherein the controller is increasing the pressure abruptly.

11. A method for operating an apparatus for removing body fluids from a body cavity by suction, the apparatus comprising:

a catheter having a drainage lumen and an auxiliary lumen adapted for placement adjacent a wound in the body cavity to be drained of body fluid, the drainage lumen having a proximal end being in fluid communication with a proximal end of the auxiliary lumen;

a container for connection in fluid communication with the drainage lumen and for receiving body drainage fluid from the body cavity;

a source of suction for effecting negative pressure in the drainage lumen and a valve for opening the auxiliary lumen in order to supply air or gas to the body cavity;

the method comprising the steps of opening the auxiliary lumen; and

increasing the pressure difference between a pressure in the drainage lumen and a pressure in the atmosphere.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the pressure difference is increased by increasing the power of the source of suction.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the pressure in the auxiliary lumen is measured and the pressure difference is increased only when the pressure corresponds at least to atmospheric pressure.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the auxiliary lumen is opened by opening a first valve.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the source of suction is control by a controller and wherein the controller is in communication with at least one of the group of the valve and a first pressure sensor measuring the pressure in the auxiliary lumen.

16. A method for removing body fluids from a body cavity by suction, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a catheter having a drainage lumen and an auxiliary lumen adapted for placement adjacent a wound in the body cavity to be drained of body fluid, the drainage lumen having a proximal end being in fluid communication with a proximal end of the auxiliary lumen;

providing a container for connection in fluid communication with the drainage lumen and for receiving body drainage fluid from the body cavity;

providing a source of suction for effecting negative pressure in the drainage lumen and

providing a valve for opening the auxiliary lumen in order to supply air or gas to the body cavity the method further comprising the steps of opening the auxiliary lumen; and

increasing the pressure difference between a pressure in the drainage lumen and a pressure in the atmosphere.