Fistula device and method for in-vivo evaluation of fish egg development

• US 6,485,435 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States of America As Represented by the Secretary Interior
• Original Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Interior
• Inventors: Bakal, Robert Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINGOOD, PAMELA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/690,714
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 600/30, 600/32, 600/562, 600/573, 600/582, 604/236, 604/238, 604/327, 604/328, 604/332, 604/337, 604/338, 604/175, 623/23.65, 128/DIG.25
• US Class Current: 600/562
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/00 Other methods or instruments for diagnosis, e.g. instruments for taking a cell sample, for biopsy, for vaccination diagnosis vaccination prophylaxis, vaccination therapy A61B17/20; Sex determination; Ovulation-period determination menstruation tables G06C3/00; Throat striking implements

Abstract

A fistula device is provided for use with fish to gather materials, e.g., eggs, from inside an exterior body wall of the fish. The fistula device includes a body member having a flange at one end thereof. The flange, in use, engages an outside surface of the exterior body wall of the fish to hold the device in place. The device also includes a hollow cylindrical body portion having both internal and external threading. A retaining ring is adapted to be placed against an interior surface of the exterior wall of the fish, and includes internal threading permitting the ring to be screwed onto the external threading of the body member. A knitted plastic mesh is secured to the retaining ring and adapted to be sutured to the inside of the exterior body wall of the fish. A removable plug used to close off the device includes a threaded portion adapted to be screwed into the body member.

Claims

1. A fistula device for use with piscine species to gather material from inside an exterior body wall of the species, said fistula device comprising:

a body member including a flange at one end thereof adapted to engage an outside surface of the exterior body wall of the piscine species and further comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion including internal threading and external threading;

a retaining ring adapted to be placed against an interior surface of the exterior wall of the species, said ring including internal threading permitting the ring to be screwed onto the external threading of said body member;

a mesh member secured to the retaining ring and adapted to be sutured to the exterior wall of the species internally of the exterior wall; and

a removable plug member including a threaded portion adapted to be screwed into the hollow body portion of said body member.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said flange of said body member includes a plurality of holes spaced around the circumference thereof for enabling the flange to be sutured to the exterior wall of the species.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said retaining ring includes a plurality of holes spaced around the circumference thereof and a plurality of sutures received in said holes for affixing the mesh member to the ring.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the mesh member comprises a knitted monofilament mesh.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said mesh is made of polypropylene.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein said plug member includes a flange at one end thereof.

7. A method of collecting materials from inside of a piscine species through a exterior body wall of the species, said method comprising:

providing a fistula device comprising a hollow body member having a flange at one end thereof, a retaining ring having a mesh member affixed to the outer periphery thereof, and a closure plug;

placing the body member in a hole created by excision of skin and muscle tissue in a lateral or ventral aspect of the exterior body wall of the species, and positioning the flange of the body member against an exterior surface of the body wall of the species;

placing the retaining ring inside the species through a second incision in the body wall and securing the ring to the body member;

affixing the mesh member to an interior area of the body wall; and

inserting the closure plug into hollow body member to close off the body member.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein said ring is threaded onto external threads on the hollow body member to secure the ring to the body member.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said closure plug is threaded into an internally threaded central bore in said body member.

10. A method according to claim 7 wherein said flange of said body member is sutured to said exterior surface of the body wall of the species.

11. A method according to claim 7 wherein said mesh member is affixed to the body wall by suturing to said interior area of said body wall.