STEERABLE WOUND DRAIN DEVICE

• US 20100198171A1
• Filed: 01/28/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allegiance Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allegiance Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: SPEHALSKI, Stephan R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,545,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/319
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• 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 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0133 Tip steering devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/00 Drainage appliance for wounds or the like , i.e. wound drains, implanted drains negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90; implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 ; middle ear drainage A61F11/202

Abstract

The invention relates to a steerable wound drainage device which permits control of the positioning within the body of the device thereby affording the practitioner the ability to re-position the wound drain within the body while avoiding unnecessary trauma to surrounding tissues and organs. In one embodiment, the wound drainage device contains at least one longitudinal duct, at least one internal lumen, and at least one lateral opening communicating therewith, and an internal steering apparatus adapted to controllably position the catheter within the body.

Claims

1. A wound drainage device comprising:

a flexible catheter having a plurality of drainage ducts;

a steering conduit, wherein the plurality of drainage ducts are arranged around the steering conduit and extend circumferentially relative to the steering conduit; and

an internal steering apparatus at least partially disposed within the steering conduit and structured to controllably position the catheter within a body by causing deviation of the catheter into a plurality of configurations and directions relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter,

wherein the internal steering apparatus is configured to selectively alter an effective rigidity of the catheter while the internal steering apparatus is disposed within the steering conduit.

2. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of drainage ducts are a plurality of longitudinal ducts defined on an external surface of the catheter.

3. The wound drainage device of claim 2, further comprising at least one lateral opening defined in a bottom surface of a corresponding longitudinal duct of the plurality of longitudinal ducts.

4. The wound drainage device of claim 3, wherein the at least one lateral opening defines an area that is smaller than an area defined by the bottom surface of the corresponding longitudinal duct.

5. The wound drainage device of claim 3, wherein the at least one lateral opening extends circumferentially relative to the steering conduit.

6. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of drainage ducts are a plurality of internal lumens defined in the catheter.

7. The wound drainage device of claim 6, further comprising at least one lateral opening defined in an outer surface of the catheter.

8. The wound drainage device of claim 7, wherein the at least one lateral opening places at least one internal lumen of the plurality of internal lumens in fluid communication with an exterior atmosphere.

9. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein the internal steering apparatus comprises a steerable guidewire structure.

10. The wound drainage device of claim 9, wherein the steerable guidewire structure comprises a central tension member and a coil.

11. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein the internal steering apparatus comprises an external control element.

12. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein the internal steering apparatus is removable from the catheter.

13. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the catheter comprises a puncture resistant element.

14. The wound drainage device of claim 13, wherein the puncture resistant element is in the form of an end cap, a plug or an integrally molded semi-rigid material.

15. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises a first proximal opening fluidly connected to the steering conduit, and wherein upon final assembly, a first portion of the internal steering apparatus is disposed within the steering conduit and a second portion of the internal steering apparatus extends externally from a second proximal opening.

16. The wound drainage device of claim 15, wherein the second proximal opening is distal the first proximal opening.

17. The wound drainage device of claim 16, wherein the second proximal opening is a radial passage through a side wall of the catheter.

18. The wound drainage device of claim 15, wherein the first proximal opening is distal the second proximal opening.

19. The wound drainage device of claim 9, wherein the steerable guidewire is slidably disposed within the steering conduit.

20. The wound drainage device of claim 19, wherein the steerable guidewire terminates at a distal tip sized to be freely movable through the steering conduit such that the steerable guidewire is fully removable from the catheter.

21. The wound drainage device of claim 6, wherein the catheter further comprises a first proximal opening fluidly connected to the plurality of internal lumens and a second proximal opening fluidly connected to the steering conduit, and wherein upon final assembly, a first portion of the internal steering apparatus is disposed within the steering conduit and a second portion of the internal steering apparatus extends externally from the second proximal opening.

22. The wound drainage device of claim 21, wherein the second proximal opening is distal the first proximal opening.

23. The wound drainage device of claim 22, wherein the second proximal opening is a radial passage through a side wall of the catheter.

24. The wound drainage device of claim 21, wherein the first proximal opening is distal the second proximal opening.

25. The wound drainage device of claim 21, wherein the steering conduit has a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of each internal lumen.

26. The wound drainage device of claim 19, wherein the steerable guidewire terminates at a distal tip sized to be freely movable through the steering conduit such that the steerable guidewire is fully removable from the catheter.

27. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein the internal steering apparatus includes:

a central tension member;

a coil surrounding the tension member; and

a handle connected to the tension member and the coil;

wherein upon final assembly of the device, the tension member and the coil are at least partially disposed within the catheter, and the handle is external the catheter.

28. The wound drainage device of claim 27, wherein the internal steering apparatus is configured such that movement of the handle effectuates transverse movement, rotational movement, and flexibility state change of the catheter.

29. The wound drainage device of claim 28, wherein the internal steering apparatus is configured to be freely operable between rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible states.

30. The wound drainage device of claim 1, wherein the internal steering apparatus includes:

a central tension member;

a coil surrounding the tension member; and

a handle connected to the tension member and the coil;

wherein upon final assembly of the device, the tension member and the coil are at least partially disposed within the catheter, and the handle is external the catheter.

31. The wound drainage device of claim 30, wherein the internal steering apparatus is configured such that movement of the handle effectuates transverse movement, rotational movement, and flexibility state change of the catheter.

32. The wound drainage device of claim 30, wherein the internal steering apparatus is configured to be freely operable between rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible states.

33. A wound drainage kit comprising:

a wound drainage device according to claim 1 and an additional surgical device selected from the group consisting of trocars, introducers, access cannulas or portals, suturing equipment, gauzes, bandages, scalpels, catheters, tubing, fluid reservoirs, collection devices, and suction devices, and combinations thereof.

34. The wound drainage kit according to claim 33, wherein the additional surgical device is one of a fluid reservoir and a suction apparatus.