Lavage/suction tip with dual splash shield

• US 4,692,140 A
• Filed: 07/01/1985
• Issued: 09/08/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zimmer Orthopaedic Surgical Products (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Snyder Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Olson, Daniel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Costantino, Mario
• Application Number:
  US06/750,613
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 604/27, 604/35, 604/39-45, 604/73-76, 604/93, 604/146, 604/119, 604/147, 604/176, 604/264, 604/275, 604/276, 604/278, 604/279, 604/313, 604/902, 604/8, 604/9 , 604/105-109, 604/177, 604/178, 604/168, 604/355, 128/361
• US Class Current: 604/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/05 Splash shields for protection of the surgeon, e.g. splash guards connected to the apparatus A41D13/11 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

Abstract

A lavage/suction tip comprising an elongated barrel with a first pliable conical shield extending outwardly from the distal tip of the barrel and a second substantially rigid conical shield which is slidable upon the barrel. The lavage/suction tip is utilized to provide irrigating fluid to a surgical site while providing suction to remove fluids and debris away from the surgical site. The first shield helps to eliminate splashback of the fluid. The second shield may be positioned to surround the first shield to provide firm support about the first shield, yet with a flexible, pliable tip perimeter. Alternatively, the second shield may be secured on the tip spaced away from the first shield so that the pliable first shield is used alone and may be easily, manually formed to more closely match the tip of the first shield to the working area or surface of the surgical site.

Claims

1. A lavage/suction tip or the like comprising:

a first elongated barrel including a distal tip and a proximal end, the first barrel having a first fluid passageway therein extending from one end to the other end;

a first shield connected to the first barrel and extending radially and distally outwardly from the distal tip of the first barrel defining an expanded state of the first shield; and

a second shield located about the first barrel and extending outwardly from the first barrel and adapted to fit about the first shield when the first shield is in said expanded state, and wherein the first shield has a first end and a second end connected therebetween by a wall member, wherein the first end is connected to the distal tip of the first barrel and the second end extends in a direction away from the distal tip and opposite the proximal end, the wall member forms an enlarged chamber therewithin which is in fluid communication with the first passageway, the chamber being open at its second end.

2. The lavage/suction tip of claim 1 wherein the second shield is slidable along the first barrel, enabling the second shield to be selectively positioned at a plurality of locations along the first barrel.

3. The lavage/suction tip of claim 1 wherein the first shield is pliable and the second shield is substantially rigid.

4. The lavage/suction tip of claim 3 wherein said tip includes a first securing position toward the distal tip of the first barrel at which the second shield may be selectively positioned and secured to substantially surround the first shield to provide firm support about the first pliable shield, and said tip includes a second securing position spaced away from the distal tip of the first barrel at which the second shield may alternatively be selectively positioned and secured to provide a position of non-use for the second shield along the barrel away from the first shield.

5. The lavage/suction tip of claim 4 wherein the tip includes an adaptor housing at the proximal end of the first barrel to connect the tip to a suitable lavage/suction handpiece and wherein the adaptor includes a collar which extends about the first barrel such that the second shield may be selectively positioned in the second position by sliding the second shield onto the collar to frictionally secure the second shield in the second position.

6. The lavage/suction tip of claim 4 wherein the second shield is frictionally secured at either its first position or its second position, and wherein the second shield includes a gripping means to enable the second shield to be twisted to loosen the second shield from either of its secured positions.

7. The lavage/suction tip of claim 6 wherein the gripping means includes a plurality of protruding ribs.

8. The lavage/suction tip of claim 4 wherein the first shield forms a wall and includes at least one hole therethrough the wall of the first shield, and wherein said at least one hole may be selectively covered to increase the suction pressure.

9. The lavage/suction tip of claim 4 wherein the first and second shield each include a peripheral rim, respectively, and the peripheral rim of the first pliable shield extends beyond the peripheral rim of the substantially rigid second shield when the second shield is in the first position.

10. A lavage/suction tip or the like comprising:

a first elongated barrel including a distal tip and a proximal end, the first barrel having a first fluid passageway therein extending from one end to the other end;

a first elongated shield connected to the first barrel and extending outwardly from the distal tip of the first barrel; and

a second shield located about the first barrel and extending outwardly from the first barrel and adapted to fit about the first shield and wherein the first shield has a first end and a second end connected therebetween by a wall member, wherein the first end is connected to the distal tip of the first barrel and the second end extends in a direction away from the distal tip and opposite the proximal end, the wall member forms an enlarged chamber therewithin which is in fluid communication with the first passageway, the chamber being open at its second end, wherein the first and second shields are both conically flared, tapering distally outwardly from the first barrel.

11. A lavage/suction tip or the like comprising:

a first elongated barrel including a distal tip and a proximal end, the first barrel having a first fluid passageway therein extending from one end to the other end;

a first shield connected to the first barrel and extending outwardly from the distal tip of the first barrel; and

a second shield located about the first barrel and extending outwardly from the first barrel and adapted to fit about the first shield and wherein the first shield has a first end and a second end connected therebetween by a wall member, wherein the first end is connected to the distal tip of the first barrel and the second end extends in a direction away from the distal tip and opposite the proximal end, the wall member forms an enlarged chamber therewithin which is in fluid communication with the first passageway, the chamber being open at its second end, wherein said tip is for use at a surgical site, wherein the first elongated barrel includes a second elongated barrel supported within the passageway of the first barrel providing the first fluid passageway as an outer passageway between the first and second barrels for connection to a suction source for drawing fluids and other materials away from the surgical site and providing a second inner fluid passageway within the second barrel for connection to an irrigant liquid source for supplying irrigant liquid to the surgical site.

12. A lavage/suction tip or the like comprising:

a first elongated barrel including a distal tip and a proximal end, the first barrel having a first fluid passageway therein extending from one end to the other end;

a first shield connected to the first barrel and extending outwardly from the distal tip of the first barrel; and

a second shield located about the first barrel and extending outwardly from the first barrel and adapted to fit about the first shield and wherein the first shield has a first end and a second end connected therebetween by a wall member, wherein the first end is connected to the distal tip of the first barrel and the second end extends in a direction away from the distal tip and opposite the proximal end, the wall member forms an enlarged chamber therewithin which is in fluid communication with the first passageway, the chamber being open at its second end, wherein the first shield is pliable and the second shield is substantially rigid, wherein the first pliable shield includes a plurality of spaced annular ring guides to provide a guide for cutting the first shield down in length.

13. A lavage/suction tip of the like comprising:

a first elongated barrel including a distal tip and a proximal end, the first barrel having a first fluid passageway therein extending from one end to the other end;

a first shield connected to the first barrel and extending outwardly from the distal tip of the first barrel; and

a second shield located about the first barrel and extending outwardly from the first barrel and adapted to fit about the first shield and wherein the first shield has a first end and a second end connected therebetween by a wall member, wherein the first end in connected to the distal tip of the first barrel and the second end extends in a direction away from the distal tip and opposite the proximal end, the wall member forms an enlarged chamber therewithin which is in fluid communication with the first passageway, the chamber being open at its second end and wherein the first shield is pliable and the second shield is substantially rigid, and wherein said tip includes a first securing position toward the distal tip of the first barrel at which the second shield may be selectively positioned and secured to substantially surround the first shield to provide firm support about the first pliable shield, and said tip includes a second securing position spaced away from the distal tip of the first barrel at which the second shield may alternatively be selectively positioned and secured to provide a position of non-use for the second shield along the barrel away from the first shield, and wherein the first shield forms a wall and includes at least one hole therethrough the wall of the first shield, and wherein said at least one hole may be selectively covered to increase the suction pressure, and wherein the first shield includes two spaced holes and wherein when the second shield is in the first position about the first shield, the second shield covers one of the holes and leaves the other exposed to enable the exposed hole to be selectively covered to increase the suction pressure.

14. A lavage/suction tip of the like comprising:

an outer elongated barrel including a distal tip and a proximal end, the outer barrel having a first fluid passageway therein;

a first pliable shield connected to the outer barrel and extending from the distal tip of the outer barrel; and

a means for reinforcing the first pliable shield, said means providing such reinforcing without substantially deforming the first shield, and wherein said tip is for use at a surgical site, wherein the outer elongated barrel includes an inner elongated barrel supported within the passageway of the outer barrel providing the first fluid passageway as an outer passageway between the outer and inner barrels for connection to a suction source for drawing fluids and other materials away from the surgical site and providing a second inner fluid passageway within the second barrel for connection to an irrigant liquid source for supplying irrigant liquid to the surgical site.

15. The lavage/suction tip of claim 14 wherein said means is a second rigid shield located about the first barrel and adapted to fit about the first shield, wherein the second shield may be selectively utilized to be operative in effecting reinforcement of the first shield or to be non-operative, thus not providing such reinforcement.

16. A lavage/suction tip or the like comprising:

a first elongated barrel including a distal tip and a proximal end, the first barrel having a first fluid passageway therein;

a first pliable shield connected to the first barrel and extending radially and distally outwardly from the distal tip of the first barrel defining an expanded state of the first shield; and

a means for reinforcing the first pliable shield, wherein said means may be selectively utilized to be operative in effecting reinforcement of the first shield or to be non-operative, thus not providing such reinforcement, and wherein said means is a substantially rigid second shield located about the first barrel and extending outwardly from the first barrel and adapted to fit about the first shield when the first shield is in said expanded state, to selectively provide reinforcement of the first shield.

17. A lavage/suction tip or the like comprising:

an outer elongated barrel including a distal tip and a proximal end, the outer barrel having a first fluid passageway therein;

a first shield connected to the outer barrel and extending from the distal tip of the outer barrel for operating in a predetermined manner with predetermined operating characteristics; and

a means for selectively cooperating with the first shield to alter the operating characteristics of the first shield without substantially deforming the first shield, and wherein said tip is for use at a surgical site, wherein the outer elongated barrel includes an inner elongated barrel supported within the passageway of the outer barrel providing the first fluid passageway as an outer passageway between the outer and inner barrels for connection to a suction source for drawing fluids and other materials away from the surgical site and providing a second inner fluid passageway within the second barrel for connection to an irrigant liquid source for supplying irrigant liquid to the surgical site.