Closed system reusable dual purpose catheter

• US 5,088,486 A
• Filed: 04/11/1990
• Issued: 02/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Walter J. Jinotti
• Inventors: Jinotti, Walter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asher, Kimberly L.
• Application Number:
  US07/507,494
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 128/207.16, 128/207.17, 128/205.19, 128/205.12, 128/200.24, 128/200.26, 604/96-905, 604/43, 604/45, 604/118, 604/119, 604/171, 604/192, 604/173, 604/200, 604/263, 604/267, 604/268, 604/284
• US Class Current: 128/207.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0486 Multi-lumen tracheal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0111 Aseptic insertion devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/26 Cannula supporters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/911 Unilimb inhalation-exhalation breathing tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 604/905 Aseptic connectors or couplings, e.g. frangible, piercable

Abstract

A dual-purpose catheter for performing suction or oxygen feed on a patient including two cylindrical bodies rotatably coupled together and held together by a spring which is biased to hold the bodies in a first position with respect to each other but permits rotation to a second position. One body includes first and second tubes which can be coupled to a source of suction or a source of oxygen, and the other body includes means for receiving said tubes in a tight fit and tube means for coupling either suction or oxygen to the patient, depending on the rotation state of the two bodies with respect to each other. The catheter bodies include solid tubes positioned to block the oxygen path to the patient when suction is operating and to block the suction path to the patient when oxygen is operating.

Claims

1. A dual-purpose apparatus for a pulmonary catheter comprising

a rigid valve mechanism including a patient end and a second end for applying oxygen and suction thereto,

a suction tube connected to said second end of said valve mechanism for applying suction thereto,

an oxygen tube connected to said second end of said valve mechanism for applying oxygen thereto,

a patient oxygen tube coupled to said patient end of said valve mechanism,

a patient suction tube coupled to said patient end of said valve mechanism,

said patient oxygen tube and said patient suction tube being adapted to have tubes coupled thereto for insertion into a patient,

an oxygen vent hole and a suction vent hole in said valve mechanism,

a first blocking means in said valve mechanism,

a second blocking means in said valve mechanism, and

means for moving said second end of said valve mechanism with respect to said patient end thereof whereby:

(1) when said suction tube is coupled to said patient suction tube to apply suction to a patient, said oxygen tube is not coupled to said patient oxygen tube, said oxygen vent hole and said suction vent hole being open, and said first blocking means obstructs said patient oxygen tube which is thereby blocked from communication with a patient,

(2) when said oxygen tube is coupled to said patient oxygen tube said suction tube is not coupled to said patient suction tube, said suction vent hole and said oxygen vent hole being open and said second blocking means obstructs said patient suction tube which is thereby blocked from communication with a patient.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second blocking means comprise solid bosses disposed inside said valve mechanism, one adjacent to said suction tube and one adjacent to said oxygen tube.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said bosses are solid tubular members.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said valve mechanism, said oxygen tube, said suction tube, said patient oxygen tube and said patient suction oxygen tube are of a rigid synthetic resinous material.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said valve mechanism comprises first and second cylindrical members coupled together for rotation with respect to each other.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein said first cylindrical member includes a wall, having an inner surface and an outer surface, to which said suction tube and said oxygen tube are secured and said second cylindrical member includes a wall, having an inner surface and an outer surface, to which said patient suction tube and said patient oxygen tube are secured.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said suction tube and said oxygen tube extend from said wall of said first cylindrical member up to the inner surface of said wall of said second cylindrical member whereby said oxygen tube can be aligned with said patient oxygen tube and form a generally tight fit therewith and said suction tube can alternately be aligned with said patient suction tube and form a generally tight fit therewith.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 and including finger tabs secured to said first and second cylindrical members for rotating said first and second tubular members with respect to each other.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said bosses are secured to the inner surface of the wall of said first cylindrical member and they extend toward the inner surface of said wall of said second cylindrical member.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 1 and including flexible tube means coupled to said patient oxygen tube and said patient suction tube for insertion into a patient.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10 and including a separate coupling member coupling said flexible tube means to said patient oxygen tube and said patient suction tube.

12. A dual-purpose catheter comprising

a valve mechanism including a patient end and an outlet end and including

a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body adapted to be coupled together so that they can rotate with respect to each other, said first body including a first suction tube and a second oxygen tube which extend from inside the body to outside the body for connection outside the body, one to a source of suction and one to a source of oxygen,

said second body including a rear wall having first and second holes which communicate with first and second tubes which extend away from the outer surface of said rear wall for coupling to a patient for either suction or oxygen feed, the portions of said first and second tubes inside said first body being adapted to form a tight fit with said holes in said rear wall of said second body,

a spring coupled at its ends to each of said bodies to hold said two bodies together, said spring being biased to hold said bodies rotated apart,

finger operating means on said bodies for rotating said bodies to cause a selected alignment of either said suction tubes or said oxygen tubes, and

first and second blocking members secured to said first cylindrical body inside said valve mechanism and positioned so that alternately, one blocks said first hole in said rear wall of said second body and one blocks said second hole in said rear wall of said second body.

13. A dual purpose catheter valve comprising

a valve body including a patient end an inlet end for suction and oxygen and including,

a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body coupled together so that they can rotate with respect to each other, said first body including a suction tube and an oxygen tube which extend from inside the body to outside the body for connection outside the body, the suction tube being adapted to be connected to a source of suction and the oxygen tube being adapted to be connected to a source of oxygen,

said second body including a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said wall having first and second holes one of which is for oxygen and the other of which is for suction, said first and second holes communicating with first and second tubes which extend away from the outer surface of said wall for coupling to a patient for either suction or oxygen feed, the portions of said oxygen and suction tubes of said first body inside said first body being adapted to form a tight fit with said first and second holes in said wall of said second body and with said inner surface of said wall of said second body, said oxygen and suction tubes extending up to and forming a tight fit with said rear surface of said wall,

said wall of said second body also including two auxiliary holes which communicate with the atmosphere,

the parts of said valve body being so arranged that, in operation thereof one of said tubes forms a tight fit with said wall in alignment with one of said holes to couple either suction or oxygen to a patient through said one of said holes, the tube which is not aligned with the other of said holes being aligned with one of said auxiliary holes,

first and second blocking means in said valve mechanism positioned so that when one of said tubes couples suction to a patient, the hole which couples oxygen to a patient is blocked by said first blocking means and when the other of said tubes couples oxygen to a patient, the hole which couples suction to a patient is blocked by said second blocking means, and

means securing together said first and second bodies.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said last named means comprises a spring coupled at its ends to each of said bodies to hold said two bodies together, and

finger operated means on said bodies for rotating said bodies to cause a selected alignment of either said suction tube with its hole or said oxygen tube with its hole.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said blocking means comprises two solid tubes lying inside said first body and extending to the inner surface of said wall of said second body.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 13 and including flexible tube means coupled to said first and second tubes of said second body for insertion into a patient.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 16 and including a separate coupling member coupling said flexible tube means to said first and second tubes of said second body.

18. A dual purpose catheter comprising

a valve mechanism having a patient end and an inlet end for coupling oxygen and suction thereto,

a suction tube connected to the inlet end of said valve mechanism,

an oxygen tube connected to the inlet end of said valve mechanism, and

a unitary, two-part tube including a first tube and a second tube connected to the patient end of said valve mechanism, said first and second tubes having free ends to be inserted into a patient, one for feeding oxygen and one for suction, said first and second tubes being secured together along the greater portion of their lengths beginning at their free ends,

said valve mechanism including first and second rotatable members coupled together and rotatable with respect to each other,

said first member including a wall on the patient side of said valve mechanism, said wall having a suction hole and an oxygen hole with said suction tube being secured to the outer surface of said wall in alignment with said suction hole and said oxygen tube being secured to the outer surface of said wall in alignment with said oxygen hole,

said second member including

(1) an external suction tube for connection to a source of suction and an external oxygen tube for connection to a source of oxygen,

(2) an internal suction tube aligned with and communicating with said external suction tube and an internal oxygen tube aligned with and communicating with said internal oxygen tube, said internal suction tube and internal oxygen tube extending toward said wall of said first member and forming a tight fit with said wall, and

(3) first and second solid blocking posts positioned adjacent to said internal suction tube and internal oxygen tube and extending toward said wall of said first member and forming a tight fit therewith,

the parts being arranged so that, as said first and second members are rotated with respect to each other, in one orientation said internal oxygen tube is aligned with said oxygen hole and feeds oxygen to a patient and said first blocking post blocks said suction hole to said patient and in a second orientation said internal suction tube is aligned with said suction hole and feeds suction to a patient and said second blocking post blocks said oxygen hole to the patient, the internal tube which is not aligned with its hole being aligned with one of said auxiliary holes.

19. The catheter defined in claim 18 wherein said valve mechanim is a rigid plastic body,

first and second rigid short hollow tubes are secured to the outer surface of said wall of said first member, said first rigid tube being aligned with the suction hole in said wall and said second rigid tube being aligned with said oxygen hole in said wall.

20. The catheter defined in claim 19 wherein said first and second patient tubes of said unitary two-part tube assembly have a non-circular cross section and said first and second short rigid tubes have similar non-circular cross sections so that the two-part tube assembly can be properly coupled to said first and second rigid tubes.