Fluid manipulating system for therapy apparatus

• US 7,160,259 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2001
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Technomed Medical Systems
• Original Assignee: Technomed Medical Systems
• Inventors: Martin, Yves, Tardy, Free, Blanc, Emmanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski; Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/257,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20030149360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/439, 600/2, 600/459, 601/2, 601/3, 604/6.13, 604/131, 604/6.09, 604/122, 604/408, 604 4- 6, 604/251, 604/22, 604/30, 435/284.1, 137/1, 606/31, 206/571
• US Class Current: 601/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

The invention concerns a fluid manipulating system, comprising a reservoir of fluid (7), a bubble trap (9) connected to the reservoir, a heat-exchanger (11) and an appliance (21) forming with the bubble trap a closed circuit of fluid, and a pump (21) circulating the fluid in the closed circuit, thereby enabling to control easily the volume of fluid in the apparatus and the temperature of said fluid. The invention is useful for manipulating coupling and cooling fluid of rectal tubes in ultrasound therapy.

Claims

1. A fluid manipulating system, comprising:

a bubble trap;

a heat exchanger;

an ultrasound therapy probe configured to receive fluid flow therethrough;

the ultrasound therapy probe, the bubble trap, and the heat exchanger forming a closed fluid circuit;

a pump providing fluid flow in the closed fluid circuit; and

a fluid reservoir external to said closed fluid circuit and connected to said bubble trap; and

wherein the bubble trap includes first and second orifices in fluid communication with the closed fluid circuit, and includes a third orifice in fluid communication with the reservoir for receiving fluid from the reservoir whereby fluid from the reservoir is injected into the closed fluid circuit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pump is located upstream of the ultrasound therapy probe in a direction of flow of the fluid.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is upstream of the ultrasound therapy probe in a direction of flow of the fluid.

4. The system according to claim 1, further having a valve between the bubble trap and the reservoir.

5. The system according to claim 1, further having a flowrate sensor between the bubble trap and the reservoir.

6. The system according to claim 1, further having a flowrate sensor on the closed circuit.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the bubble trap includes a syringe activated valve.

8. The system according to claim 1 further including a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the ultrasound therapy probe.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir is flexible.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is located upstream of the ultrasound therapy probe and downstream of the pump in the direction of fluid flow.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is a flexible envelope.

12. A closed fluid system comprising:

a multiple-port bubble trap;

a heat exchanger;

a fluid receiving ultrasound therapy probe;

conduits interconnecting the bubble trap, the heat exchanger and the ultrasound therapy probe to form a closed fluid flow circuit;

a fluid reservoir external to said closed fluid circuit and in at least intermittent flow communication with one of the ports of the bubble trap to fill the circuit with a first quantity of fluid while maintaining the closed circuit, and, to withdraw at least part of the fluid from the circuit while maintaining the closed circuit.