STABILIZED CONTAMINATION FREE SURGICAL EVACUATOR

• US 3,774,611 A
• Filed: 06/08/1972
• Issued: 11/27/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George W. Oakes, Jimmy D. Tussey
• Original Assignee: George W. Oakes, Jimmy D. Tussey
• Inventors: Tussey, Jimmy D., Oakes, George W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Charles F.
• Application Number:
  US05/261,029
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 417/274,275,277,448,472,473,478,479 128/275-278,294-295,214F,145.5,DIG.24,214C,231-232
• US Class Current: 604/133
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/68 Containers incorporating a flexible member creating suction

Abstract

A contamination free surgical evacuator that includes a fluid stabilizer is disclosed. The evacuator container is bulbous in shape and formed of a material that has memory, i.e., tends to return to a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'normal'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' configuration when external forces are released. A pair of input drip chambers and valves, one or both of which may be used to drain fluids from a wound, allow drained fluids to enter the evacuator container. A magnetic output or purge valve mounted in a graduated cup-like region, allows the evacuator container to be initially evacuated and allows drained fluids to be removed from the container thereafter. The graduations allow the evacuator to be used as a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'rate of drainage'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' measuring instrument. The fluid stabilizer is in essence a compressible, perforated diaphragm mounted inside of the bulbous evacuator container. The fluid stabilizer prevents drained fluids from splashing around in the evacuator container, yet it does not inhibit the operation of the evacuator. Moreover, the fluid stabilizer prevents any sudden surge of fluids from accidentally actuating the magnetic purge valve.

Claims

1. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator comprising:

an evacuator container, said evacuator container being compressible and expandable to decrese and increse the internal volume of said container and thus create a vacuum;

an inlet region formed in said evacuator container, said inlet region including at least one one-way valve which allows fluid to be drawn into said container by the vacuum created therein;

an outlet region formed in said evacuator container, said outlet region including a one-way valve that allows fluids and air to be exhausted from said evacuator container when said evacuator container is compressed to decrease its internal volume; and

, a fluid stabilizer mounted inside of said evacuator container, said fluid stabilizer comprising a compressible diaphragm having a plurality of apertures therein which allow fluids to slowly flow from one region to another region inside of said container.

2. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said evacuator container is bulbous in shape and formed of materials having memory which return to a normal state when no external forces are applied.

3. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inlet region includes at least one drip chamber.

4. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 3 wherein said drip chamber is formed such that it includes an inlet aperture adapted to receive a drainage tube and an outlet aperture which forms the inlet to said one-way valve, said apertures being aligned so that fluids entering said drip chamber from said drainage tube pass directly through said aperture forming the inlet to said one-way valve whereby a dry wall region exists between said drainage tube and said aperture forming the inlet to said one-way valve.

5. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 4 wherein said drip chamber includes a relatively large aperture and a closure plate for closing said apertures, said closure plate including an aperture through which said drainage tube extends.

6. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 5 including a plurality of one-way valves and drip chambers.

7. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 6 wherein said fluid stabilizer is generally cylindrical in shape and has a corrugated outer surface.

8. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 6 wherein said evacuator container and said fluid stabilizer are formed of polypropylene.

9. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 8 wherein said evacuator container comprises an upper section formed of semi-rigid polypropylene and a lower section formed of flexible polypropylene, said lower section including a ring-shaped inward projection inside of which said fluid stabilizer is mounted and said upper section including a plurality of inwardly projection legs which pass through apertures in said fluid stabilizer to hold said fluid stabilizer in a predetermined position.

10. A stabilized contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluid stabilizer is generally cylindrical in shape and has a corrugated outer surface.

11. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 10 wherein said evacutor container and said fluid stabilizer are formed of polypropylene.

12. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 11 wherein said evacuator container comprises an upper section formed of semi-rigid polypropylene and a lower section formed of flexible polypropylene, said lower section including a ring-shaped inward projection inside of which said fluid stabilizer is mounted and said upper section including a plurality of inwardly projecting legs which pass through apertures in said fluid stabilizer to hold said fluid stabilizer in a predetermined position.

13. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said evacuator container comprises an upper section formed of semi-rigid polypropylene and a lower section formed of flexible polypropylene, said lower section including a ring-shaped inward projection inside of which said fluid stabilizer is mounted and said upper section including a plurality of inwardly projecting legs which pass through apertures in said fluid stabilizer to hold said fluid stabilizer in a predetermined position.

14. A stabilized, contamination free surgical evacuator as claimed in claim 1 including a plurality of one-way valves and drip chambers.