Body fluids and solids drainage system

• US 5,897,534 A
• Filed: 08/29/1996
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microline Surgical, Inc. (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Team Medical, LLC
• Inventors: Brassell, James Lawrence, Heim, Warren P.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, CRIS LOIREN
• Application Number:
  US08/705,181
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 604/266-268, 604/317, 604/319, 604/22, 604/27, 604/35, 604/36, 604/19, 137/205
• US Class Current: 604/267
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/83 Tube strippers, i.e. for clearing the contents of the tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/84 Drainage tubes; Aspiration tips for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/90; for surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32

Abstract

A medical system for facilitating the removal of body matter including solids, liquids and gases from a body cavity. The system includes mechanical energy applied to the interior surface of a catheter or other type of body drainage conduit to substantially inhibit the adherence of body matter to the catheter, thus minimizing the likelihood of blockage in the catheter. The mechanical energy may be provided by a rotating wire coil, reciprocating wire with collapsible cups or other device to substantially inhibit the adherence of body matter to the catheter and promote flow into a drainage and disposal system

Claims

1. A medical drainage system for removing body matter from a body cavity, consisting essentially of:

at least one drainage tube for insertion into said body cavity, said drainage tube having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a substantially open inlet end for receiving said body matter, and an outlet end for discharging said body matter;

collection means positioned proximate to said outlet end of said drainage tube to collect said body matter;

suction means in operative communication with said collection means for creating a lower pressure at said outlet end of said drainage tube than at said inlet end; and

mechanical energy means comprising at least one selectively rotatable wire coil acting independently and without interconnection to any invasive apparatus, said rotatable wire coil operatively disposed within said drainage tube for scraping said interior surface of said drainage tube, said wire coil having a first end operatively positioned proximate said collection means and a second end positioned proximate said inlet end, wherein said body matter is inhibited from collecting on said interior surface of said drainage tube and is transported from said inlet end of said drainage tube to said collection means, said drainage tube having an unobstructed central passageway extending substantially from said inlet end to said outlet end to facilitate the unimpeded flow of said body matter through said drainage tube.

2. The medical drainage system of claim 1, wherein said body matter comprises solids, semi-solids, liquids and gas.

3. The drainage system of claim 1, further comprising drive means interconnected to a first end of said mechanical energy means to provide mechanical energy to said mechanical energy means.

4. The medical drainage system of claim 3, wherein said drive means is motorized.

5. The medical drainage system of claim 3, further comprising variable speed means interconnected to said drive means, wherein the amount of energy provided to said mechanical energy means can be adjusted.

6. The medical drainage system of claim 3, wherein said drive means is manually operated.

7. The drainage system of claim 1, wherein said drainage tube is flexible to permit bending.

8. The drainage system of claim 1, wherein said drainage tube is comprised of a see-through material.

9. The drainage system of claim 1, wherein said suction means comprises a suction tube interconnected to said collection means.

10. The medical drainage system of claim 1, herein said rotatable wire has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

11. The medical drainage system of claim 1, wherein said selectively rotatable wire has an exterior surface which resists the adherence of said body matter, said exterior surface comprising at least polyolefin or fluoropolymer materials.

13. The medical drainage system of claim 1, wherein said mechanical energy means scrapes said interior surface of said drainage tube in a substantially continuous manner.

14. The medical drainage system of claim 1, further comprising timing means in operative communication with said drive means, wherein said mechanical energy means scrapes said interior surface of said drainage tube in a non-continuous manner at selected time intervals.

15. The medical drainage device of claim 1, further comprising an exterior sheath substantially enclosing said drainage tube, wherein the amount of vibration felt by a patient utilizing said medical drainage device is minimized.

12. On line 2, please delete the word "cup" and replace with the word "cap".

16. A medical drainage apparatus for removing body matter from a body cavity, comprising:

a plurality of body drainage tubes, each of said drainage tubes having an inlet end, an outlet end, an interior surface and an exterior surface;

a central gathering tube having a first end, a second end, an interior surface and an exterior surface;

merging means for sealingly interconnecting each of said outlet ends of said plurality of drainage tubes to said first end of said central gathering tube;

collection means positioned proximate said second end of said central gathering tube to collect said body matter;

suction means in operative communication with said collection means for creating a lower pressure at said second end of said central gathering tube than at said inlet ends of said plurality of drainage tubes;

mechanical energy means operatively positioned within each of said plurality of drainage tubes and said central gathering tube for scraping said interior surfaces of said drainage tubes and said central gathering tube to prevent said body matter from impeding flow of said body matter from said inlet ends of said drainage tubes to said second end of said central gathering tube; and

coordinating means located within said merging means for operatively interconnecting said mechanical energy means in said central gathering tube to said mechanical energy means in each of said drainage tubes.

17. The medical apparatus of claim 16, further comprising drive means interconnected to said mechanical energy means for providing mechanical energy to said mechanical energy means within said central gathering tube and said plurality of drainage tubes.

18. The medical apparatus of claim 17, further comprising variable speed means, interconnected to said drive means whereby the amount of energy provided to said mechanical energy means can be adjusted.

19. The medical apparatus of claim 17, wherein said drive means is manually driven.

20. The medical apparatus of claim 17, wherein said drive means is motorized.

21. The medical apparatus of claim 16, wherein said mechanical energy means comprises at least one selectively rotatable wire with a substantially circular cross-section, said wire having a first end operatively positioned proximate said collection means and a second end positioned proximate said inlet end of said drainage tube.

22. The medical apparatus of claim 16, wherein said mechanical energy means comprises at least one selectively rotatable wire with a substantially rectangular cross-section, said wire having a first end operatively positioned proximate said collection means and a second end positioned proximate said inlet end of said drainage tube.

23. The medical apparatus of claim 16, wherein said mechanical energy means comprises at least one selectively rotatable wire coil, said wire coil having a first end operatively positioned proximate said collection means and a second end positioned proximate said inlet ends.

24. The medical apparatus of claim 16, further comprising timing means to provide mechanical energy to said mechanical energy means on a predetermined time interval.

25. The medical drainage apparatus of claim 16, wherein said coordinating means comprises:

(a) a drive gear having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of teeth interposed therebetween, said first end interconnected to said mechanical energy means in said central gathering tube and said second end interconnected to said mechanical energy means in a first body drainage tubes

(b) a transfer gear having a first end, a second end and a plurality of teeth interposed therebetween, said second end interconnected to said mechanical energy means in a second body drainage tube and said teeth operatively engaged with said teeth of said drive gears wherein when said mechanical energy means in said central gathering tube is rotated, said drive gear rotates said transfer gear providing mechanical energy to said mechanical energy means in said first body drainage tube, said second body drainage tube and said central gathering tubes.

26. The medical drainage device of claim 16, wherein said body matter comprises liquid, solids, semi-solids and gas.

27. The medical apparatus of claim 16, wherein said central gathering tube and said body drainage tubes are comprised of a flexible, substantially transparent material.

28. The medical apparatus of claim 16, wherein said mechanical energy means has an outer surface comprised of a material which resists the adherence of said body matter.

29. A medical drainage system for removing body matter from a body cavity consisting essentially of:

at least one drainage tube for insertion into said body cavity, said drainage tube having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a substantially open inlet end for receiving said body matter, and an outlet end for discharging said body matter;

collection means positioned proximate to said outlet end of said drainage tube to collect said body matter;

suction means in operative communication with said collection means for creating a lower pressure at said outlet end of said drainage tube than at said inlet end;

mechanical energy means operatively disposed within said drainage tube for scraping said interior surface of said drainage tube, said mechanical energy means acting independently and without interconnection to any invasive apparatus, wherein said body matter is inhibited from collecting on said interior surface of said drainage tube and is transported from said inlet end of said drainage tube to said collection means, said drainage tube having an unobstructed central passageway extending substantially from said inlet end to said outlet end to facilitate the unimpeded flow of said body matter through said drainage tube;

drive means interconnected to a first end of said mechanical energy means to provide mechanical energy to said mechanical energy means; and

variable speed means interconnected to said drive means, wherein the amount of energy provided to said mechanical energy means can be adjusted.

30. A medical drainage system for removing body matter from a body cavity, consisting essentially of:

at least one drainage tube for insertion into said body cavity, said drainage tube having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a substantially open inlet end for receiving said body matter, and an outlet end for discharging said body matter;

collection means positioned proximate to said outlet end of said drainage tube to collect said body matter;

suction means in operative communication with said collection means for creating a lower pressure at said outlet end of said drainage tube than at said inlet end;

mechanical energy means operatively disposed within said drainage tube for scraping said interior surface of said drainage tube, said mechanical energy means acting independently and without interconnection to any invasive apparatus, wherein said body matter is inhibited from collecting on said interior surface of said drainage tube and is transported from said inlet end of said drainage tube to said collection means; and

timing means in operative communication with said drive means, wherein said mechanical energy means scrapes said interior surface of said drainage tube in a non-continuous manner at selected time intervals.