URINARY IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM

• US 3,768,476 A
• Filed: 01/27/1972
• Issued: 10/30/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smiths Industries Medical Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Russell G. Raitto
• Inventors: Raitto, Russell G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Callaghan, Thomas F.
• Application Number:
  US05/221,330
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 285/260,114,12,331,DIG.22,423,174,24,317,390 128/247,DIG.24,349,2W,275 61/12
• US Class Current: 604/326
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1027 Quick-acting type connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1077 Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/00 Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body A61M25/00 takes precedence ; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014

Abstract

A connector adapter for use in an irrigation and drainage system having particular use in the irrigation and drainage of the human urinary tract. The adapter includes female and male coupling members, one adapted for connection to a catheter and the other adapted for connection to a drainage bag. The coupling portions of said members have internal sealing surfaces and are arranged so that, when coupled for drainage operation, the overall system is internally sterile and a fluid flow path is provided from the catheter to the drainage bag, the sealing surfaces thereof sealably abutting each other to form a continuous cylindrical opening having an uninterrupted internal surface through both coupling members. Further, the coupling members are linked by a flexible plastic strap so that, when decoupled for irrigation operation, the members remain linked to each other and the opening of the coupler member connected to the catheter is available for the reception of the tip of an irrigation syringe or to a fitting for connection to irrigation bottle source.

Claims

1. A system for draining fluids from a body cavity of an animal through a catheter and drainage tubing to a drainage bag and for alternately irrigating said cavity, said system including said drainage bag, said drainage tubing, said catheter and connector adapter means for alternately connecting said catheter with said drainage bag for said drainage and for disconnecting said catheter from said drainage bag for said irrigation, said adapter means comprising a female coupler member including a body portion having a first cylindrical opening therethrough and connected to one of said drainage bag and said catheter, and a female coupling portion having a first sealing surface therein;

a male coupler member including a body portion having a second cylindrical opening therethrough of the same diameter as said first cylindrical opening connected to the other of said catheter and drainage bag, and a male coupling portion having a second sealing surface therein;

said male and female coupling portions having means for coupling and uncoupling said coupler members to and from each other so that, when coupled, a smooth, uninterrupted sealed internal fluid flow path substantially free from contaminant-collecting spaces or pockets is provided through said coupling members and said first and second sealing surfaces sealably abut one another to form a continuous cylindrical sealed opening having a smooth uninterrupted sealed internal surface through said coupler members, said surface forming said fluid path, a flexible strip joining said male and female coupler members, respectively, so that, when decoupled, said coupler members remain linked by said strip and the cylindrical opening of said coupler member connected to said catheter is exposed to receive the tip of an irrigation syringe or a fitting for connection to a source of irrigation fluid.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one end of said strip is rotatably joined to one of said coupler members.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said flexible strip comprises a plastic strap having a first ring at one end thereof for encircling said male coupler member and a second ring at the other end thereof for encircling said female coupler member.

4. A system in accordance with claim 3 wherein at least one of said coupling members has an annular notch, the ring encircling said member being rotatably positioned in said notch and the ring encircling the other of said coupling members being substantially non-rotatably joined to the body of said coupler member.

5. Connector adapter means in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first cylindrical opening of said female coupler member extends into said coupling portion thereof, said coupling portion including a first inner cylindrical member located at the extended end of said first cylindrical opening, said first inner cylindrical member having a diameter larger than that of said first cylindrical opening whereby said first sealing surface is formed at said extended end, a first outer cylindrical meMber being spaced from and encircling said first inner cylindrical member to form a first recess therebetween;

and further wherein said second cylindrical opening of said male coupler member extends into said coupling portion thereof to form a second inner cylindrical member having said second sealing surface at the extended end thereof, said coupling portion including a second outer cylindrical member being spaced from and encircling said second inner cylindrical member to form a second recess therebetween;

whereby, when said male and female coupler members are coupled together, said second outer cylindrical member extends into said first recess, said second inner cylindrical member extends into said enlarged diameter of said first inner cylindrical member and said first inner cylindrical member extends into said second recess so that said first and second sealing surfaces sealably abut one another to form said continuous sealed cylindrical opening through said coupler members.

6. Connector adapter means in accordance with claim 5 and further including means for permitting said male and female coupler portions to be securely engaged when said coupler members are coupled.

7. Connector adapter means in accordance with claim 5 wherein said first outer cylindrical member is longer than said first inner cylindrical member so that said first sealing surface is protected from contamination.

8. Connector adapter means in accordance with claim 7 wherein said second outer cylindrical member is longer than said second inner cylindrical member so that said second sealing surface is protected from contamination.

9. Connector means in accordance with claim 5, wherein said body portion of said female coupler member is cylindrical and is adapted to be connected to said drainage bag;

said body portion of said male coupler member is externally tapered and is adapted to be connected to said catheter.

10. A system according to claim 5, said first outer cylindrical member extending axially toward said male coupler member at least as far as said first inner cylindrical member and said second outer cylindrical member extending axially toward said female coupler member at least as far as said second inner cylindrical member, whereby said outer cylindrical members protect said inner cylindrical members from contamination.

11. A system according to claim 10, each of said outer cylindrical members extending axially beyond its inner cylindrical member.

12. A system according to claim 5, said inner and outer cylindrical members being provided with means to advance one of said coupler members with respect to the other to force the two sealing surfaces into sealing contact with each other so as to form said continuous smooth uninterrupted surface substantially free from contaminant-collecting pockets or spaces.

13. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first cylindrical opening of said female coupler member extends into said coupling portion thereof, said coupling portion including a first cylindrical member located at the extended end of said first cylindrical opening, said first cylindrical member having a diameter larger than that of said first cylindrical opening to form an internal shoulder which forms said first sealing surface, said second cylindrical opening of said male coupler member extending into said coupling portion thereof to form a second cylindrical member having said second sealing surface at the extended edge thereof, whereby, when said male and female coupler members are coupled together said second cylindrical member extends into said enlarged diameter of said first cylindrical member with said first and second sealing surfaces sealably abutting one another to form said continuous uninterrupted smooth sealed cylindrical opening through said coupler members, means to (a) advance said coupler members toward each other to force said second cylindrical member into said enlarged diameter and said second and first sealing surfaCes into sealing engagement with each other to form said smooth, continuous uninterrupted surface and (b) to lock said coupler members in said sealing engagement.

14. Connector adapter means for use in an irrigation and drainage system, said adapter means comprising a female coupler member including a body portion having a first cylindrical opening therethrough and adapted to be connected to at least one of a drainage bag and a catheter, and a female coupling portion having a first sealing surface therein:

a male coupler member including a body portion having a second cylindrical opening therethrough of the same diameter as said first cylindrical opening and adapted to be connected to the other of said catheter and drainage bag, and a male coupling portion having a second sealing surface therein;

said male and female coupling portions having means for permitting said coupler members to be coupled to, and decoupled from, each other so that, when coupled, a fluid flow path is provided from said catheter to said drainage bag and said first and second sealing surfaces sealably abut one another to form a continuous cylindrical opening having an uninterrupted internal surface through said coupler members; and

flexible means joined at its ends to said male and female coupler members, respectively, so that, when decoupled, said coupler members remain linked by said flexible means and the cylindrical opening of said coupler member connected to said catheter is capable of receiving this tip of an irrigation syringe or a fitting for connection to a source of irrigation fluid, said body portion of said female member being cylindrical and adapted to be connected to said drainage bag;

said body portion of said male coupler member being externally tapered and adapted to be connected to said catheter;

said first cylindrical opening of said female coupler member extending into said coupling portion thereof, said coupling portion including a first inner cylindrical member located at the extended end of said first cylindrical opening, said first inner cylindrical member having a diameter larger than that of said first cylindrical opening whereby said first sealing surface is formed at said extended end;

a first outer cylindrical member being spaced from and encircling said first inner cylindrical member to form a first recess therebetween; and

further wherein said second cylindrical opening of said male coupler member extends into said coupling portion thereof to form a second inner cylindrical member having said second sealing surface at the extended end thereof, said coupling portion including a second outer cylindrical member being spaced from and encircling said second inner cylindrical member to form a second recess therebetween;

whereby, when said male and female coupler members are coupled together, said second outer cylindrical member extends into said first recess and said first inner cylindrical member extends into said second recess so that said first and second sealing surfaces sealably abut one another to form said continuous sealed cylindrical opening through said coupler members, the interior surface of said first outer cylindrical member and the exterior surface of said second outer cylindrical member being correspondingly threaded to permit said coupler members to be threadably coupled and decoupled from each other.

15. Connector means according to claim 14, wherein said flexible means comprises a plastic strap having a first connecting means for connection with said male coupler member and a second connecting means for connection with said female member, at least one of said connecting means being rotatable with respect to its coupler member to thereby permit said threadable coupling and uncoupling.