In-line specimen trap and method therefor

• US 6,375,625 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2001
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conmed Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scion Valley Inc.
• Inventors: Barker, Garrett L., French, C. Kenneth, Levinson, Melvin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZMAL, BRIAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US09/852,417
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 606/45, 606/46, 600/573, 600/571, 600/565, 600/564, 600/562, 600/563, 600/575, 604/319, 604/22, 738/632.3
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0096 Casings for storing test samples A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/60 Containers for suction drainage, adapted to be used with an external suction source containers not adapted for subjection to vacuum A61M1/69
• 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 2205/583 by visual feedback

Abstract

The in-line specimen trap operates in conjunction with a suction or irrigation line and a second line leading to a surgical site. The trap includes a specimen container, a cap coupled to the specimen container and an operator controlled, multi-modal valve disposed in or on the cap. The valve includes at least a bypass passage and a container input port and a container output port. The bypass passage limits flow exclusively between the first and second lines, that is, between the suction/irrigation line and the line leading to the surgical site. The position of an operator control interface determines the selection of the bypass mode or trap and collection mode. The method establishes, under operator control, a bypass channel between the first and second lines channels under operator control, the specimen fluid and debris from the second line through the specimen container to the first line, and, closes the specimen container after the channeling step.

Claims

1. An in-line specimen trap adapted to be coupled between first line carrying controlled suction or irrigation and a second line leading to a surgical site, said trap comprising:

a specimen container;

a cap coupled to said specimen container;

an operator controlled multi-modal valve disposed in or on said cap, said multi-modal valve having at least a bypass passage, said bypass passage limiting flow exclusively between said first and second lines, and a container input port and container output port, said input and output ports permitting flow through said container via said first and second lines.

2. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said multi-modal valve includes an operator control shifting flow between said bypass passage and said input and output ports.

3. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bypass passage is fluidly coupled to said first and second pines in a first control mode and said input and output ports lead to and from said specimen container and are fluidly coupled to said first and second lines and in a second control mode.

4. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said specimen container is defined by container walls and one of said walls defines a lower interior surface, the specimen trap including a leader tube coupled to said output port, said leader tube extending proximately towards said lower interior surface of the specimen container wall.

5. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bypass passage in said multi-modal valve defines a first flow path, said input and output ports, in conjunction with said specimen container, define a second flow path, said multi-modal valve having a third path blocking flow between said first and second lines.

6. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 5 wherein said bypass passage is fluidly coupled to said first and second lines via said first flow path in a first control mode and said input and output ports lead to and from said specimen container and are fluidly coupled to said first and second lines via said second flow path and in a second control mode and said first and second lines are closed in the blocking third path in a third control mode.

7. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 6 wherein said multi-modal valve includes an operator control shifting and blocking flow between said first, second and third paths, respectively.

8. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 7 wherein said operator control includes a rotating operator interface.

9. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 8 including a rotating valve manifold defining said first, second and third paths, said manifold coupled to said rotating operator interface.

10. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 9 wherein said manifold is mounted in said cap.

11. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cap is detachably coupled to said specimen container.

12. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said specimen container is a elongated, transparent container and said cap is mounted on the top of the container.

13. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 7 wherein said operator control includes a linearly movable operator interface.

14. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 13 including a linearly movable valve manifold defining said first, second and third paths, said manifold coupled to the linear operator interface.

15. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 14 wherein said manifold is mounted in said cap.

16. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bypass passage in said multi-modal valve defines a first flow path, and said input and output ports, in conjunction with said specimen container, define a second flow path.

17. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 16 wherein said bypass passage is fluidly coupled to said first and second pines via said first flow path in a first control mode and said input and output ports lead to and from said specimen container and are fluidly coupled to said first and second lines via said second flow path and in a second control mode.

18. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 17 wherein said multi-modal valve includes an operator control shifting flow between said first and second flow paths.

19. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 18 wherein said operator control includes one of a rotating operator interface and a linearly movable operator interface and the specimen trap includes one of a rotating valve manifold and a linearly movable valve manifold, said manifold defining said first and second flow paths and said manifold coupled to said operator interface.

20. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 19 wherein said manifold is mounted in said cap.

21. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bypass passage is fluidly coupled to said first and second pines in a first control mode and said input and output ports lead to and from said specimen container and are fluidly coupled to said first and second lines and in a second control mode.

22. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 21 wherein said specimen container is defined by container walls and one of said walls defines a lower interior surface, the specimen trap including a leader tube coupled to said output port, said leader tube extending proximately towards said lower interior surface of the specimen container wall.

23. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 22 wherein said bypass passage in said multi-modal valve defines a first flow path, said input and output ports, in conjunction with said specimen container, define a second flow path, said multi-modal valve having a mode blocking flow between said first and second lines.

24. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 23 wherein said bypass passage is fluidly coupled to said first and second pines via said first flow path in a first control mode and said input and output ports lead to and from said specimen container and are fluidly coupled to said first and second lines via said second flow path and in a second control mode and said first and second lines are closed in the blocking third path in a third control mode.

25. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 24 wherein said operator control shifts and blocks flow between said first, second and third paths, respectively.

26. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 25 wherein said operator control includes a rotating operator interface.

27. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 26 including a rotating valve manifold defining said first, second and third paths, said manifold coupled to said rotating operator interface.

28. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 27 wherein said manifold is mounted in said cap.

29. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 28 wherein said cap is detachably coupled to said specimen container.

30. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 29 wherein said specimen container is a elongated, transparent container and said cap is mounted on the top of the container.

31. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 25 wherein said operator control includes a linearly movable operator interface.

32. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 31 including a linearly movable valve manifold defining said first, second and third paths, said manifold coupled to the linear operator interface.

33. An in-line specimen trap as claimed in claim 32 wherein said manifold is mounted in said cap.

34. A method of selectively (a) trapping specimen fluid and debris and (b) permitting suction and irrigation flow between a first line carrying controlled suction or irrigation and a second line leading to a surgical site, the method comprising:

providing a specimen container;

establishing, under operator control, a bypass channel between said first and second lines;

channeling, under operator control, said specimen fluid and debris from said second line through said specimen container to said first line; and

,

closing said specimen container after said channeling step.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34 including blocking flow, under operator control, at said first line and at said second line.

36. A method as claimed in claim 34 wherein said establishing step occurs under at a first operative control point and said channeling step occurs at a second operative control point.

37. A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein said establishing step occurs under at a first operative control point, said channeling step occurs at a second operative control point and said blocking occurs at a third control point.