Vacuum wound drainage system and lipids baffle therefor
First Claim
1. A continuous vacuum wound drainage system, comprising:
- a drain reservoir capable of being evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure;
wound connection means for connecting said drain reservoir to a wound and therewith for vacuum draining fluids from the wound;
vacuum source connecting means for connecting said drain reservoir to a vacuum source and therewith for providing the subatmospheric pressure in said drain reservoir;
hydrophobic filter means permitting gas flow therethrough but blocking flow of liquid therethrough from said drain reservoir to said vacuum source connecting means for attaining the subatmospheric pressure in a reservoir by said vacuum source while avoiding contamination of a vacuum source by liquid from said drain reservoir;
baffle means constructed for preventing fatty substances from flowing therethrough, said wound connecting means and said hydrophobic filter means communicating with respective first and second spaces within said drain reservoir, said baffle means defining said first and second spaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for selectively blocking passage of lipids in a liquid flow path. A baffle interposed in the liquid flow path is of nonpolar material and is arranged to permit liquid flow therethrough with contact of said liquid with the nonpolar material of the baffle for removing lipids from the flow. In one embodiment, the baffle is interposed between a wound drain connection and vacuum connection in a drain reservoir and protects a hydrophobic filter which is at the end of a vacuum passage communicating with the interior of the drain reservoir. The baffle enables use of a nonpolar material for the hydrophobic filter and avoids coating and thereby clogging of the hydrophobic filter by lipids in the liquid drained from a wound.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A continuous vacuum wound drainage system, comprising:
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a drain reservoir capable of being evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure; wound connection means for connecting said drain reservoir to a wound and therewith for vacuum draining fluids from the wound; vacuum source connecting means for connecting said drain reservoir to a vacuum source and therewith for providing the subatmospheric pressure in said drain reservoir; hydrophobic filter means permitting gas flow therethrough but blocking flow of liquid therethrough from said drain reservoir to said vacuum source connecting means for attaining the subatmospheric pressure in a reservoir by said vacuum source while avoiding contamination of a vacuum source by liquid from said drain reservoir; baffle means constructed for preventing fatty substances from flowing therethrough, said wound connecting means and said hydrophobic filter means communicating with respective first and second spaces within said drain reservoir, said baffle means defining said first and second spaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A continuous vacuum wound drainage system, comprising:
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a drain reservoir capable of being evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure; wound connection means for connecting said drain reservoir to a wound and therewith for vacuum draining fluids from the wound; vacuum source connecting means for connecting said drain reservoir to a vacuum source and therewith for providing the subatmospheric pressure in said drain reservoir; liquid blocking means blocking flow of liquid from said drain reservoir to said vacuum source connecting means, to thereby avoid contamination of a vacuum source by liquid from said drain reservoir; baffle means constructed for preventing fatty substances from flowing therethrough, said wound connecting means and said liquid blocking means communicating with respective first and second spaces within said drain reservoir, said baffle means defining said first and second spaces, in which said baffle means comprise a member having nonpolar surface characteristics for interfering with flow of fatty substances therepast but open to a flow of dissimilar wound drainage fluids, and in which said member comprises a mat of fibrous nonpolar material presenting relatively high surface area of material to flow of lipids so as to maximize attraction of lipids to said member from said flow, said fibrous mat having fibers held together in matted relation by a binding material.
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8. A continuous vacuum wound drainage system, comprising:
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a drain reservoir capable of being evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure; wound connection means for connecting said drain reservoir to a wound and therewith for vacuum draining fluids from the wound; vacuum source connecting means for connecting said drain reservoir to a vacuum source and therewith for providing the subatmospheric pressure in said drain reservoir; liquid blocking means blocking flow of liquid from said drain reservoir to said vacuum source connecting means, to thereby avoid contamination of a vacuum source by liquid from said drain reservoir; baffle means constructed for preventing fatty substances from flowing therethrough, said wound connection means and said liquid blocking means communicating with respective first and second spaces within said drain reservoir, said liquid blocking means defining said first and second spaces, in which said baffle means comprises a baffle fixedly dividing said drain reservoir into separate first and second chambers respectively defining said first and second spaces in which respectively lie said wound connecting means and said vacuum source connecting means, said baffle being a generally self-supporting mat of nonpolar synthetic material. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A continuous vacuum wound drainage system, comprising:
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a drain reservoir capable of being evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure; wound connection means for connecting said drain reservoir to a wound and therewith for vacuum draining fluids from the wound; vacuum source connecting means for connecting said drain reservoir to a vacuum source and therewith for providing the subatmospheric pressure in said drain reservoir; liquid blocking means blocking flow of liquid from said drain reservoir to said vacuum source connecting means, to thereby avoid contamination of a vacuum source by liquid from said drain reservoir; baffle means constructed for preventing fatty substances from flowing therethrough, said wound connecting means and said liquid blocking means communicating with respective first and second spaces within said drain reservoir, said baffle means defining said first and second spaces, in which said liquid blocking means comprises a hydrophobic filter, said vacuum source connecting means having a vacuum port for connection to a vacuum source, said vacuum source connecting means comprising a valve interposed between said hydrophobic filter and said vacuum port, said valve being normally closed to prevent entry of ambient air into said drain reservoir and being openable in response to connection of a vacuum source to said vacuum port. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A continuous vacuum wound drainage system, comprising:
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a drain reservoir capable of being evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure; wound connection means for connecting said drain reservoir to a wound and therewith for vacuum draining fluids from the wound; vacuum source connecting means for connecting said drain reservoir to a vacuum source and therewith for providing the subatmospheric pressure in said drain reservoir; liquid blocking means blocking flow of liquid from said drain reservoir to a vacuum source connecting means, to thereby avoid contamination of a vacuum source by liquid from said drain reservoir; said liquid blocking means comprising a microporous hydrophobic filter mounted on said drain reservoir with one side facing into the interior of said drain reservoir, said vacuum source connecting means comprising a vacuum passage on said drain reservoir extending from the other side of said hydrophobic filter to a vacuum port open outwardly of said drain reservoir, said hydrophobic filter being provided as the sole means preventing overflow of liquid from said interior of said drain reservoir into said vacuum passage; selective means comprising a baffle separating said bottle into first and second chambers, said first chamber communicating with said vacuum source connecting means and into which said liquid blocking means faces, said second chamber communicating with said wound connection means, said baffle being porous and of nonpolar material capable of removing fatty materials from fluids passing between said members.
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16. Apparatus for selectively blocking passage of fatty substances in a liquid flow path, comprising:
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receiver means having inlet means for receiving a multi-constituent liquid including fatty particles as one constituent thereof and further having outlet means for venting gases from said receiver means, said outlet means having hydrophobic filter means permitting said venting of gases but not of liquid therepast from said receiver means, said filter means comprising a hydrophobic filter blockable against gas flow therethrough by contact with fatty substances in said liquid; means for protecting said hydrophobic filter against blocking by fatty substances and comprising a porous a baffle of material attractive to fatty substances and located in said receiver means such that flow from said inlet means must pass therethrough to reach said hydrophobic filter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification