Aspirator and method for pneumostoma management

• US 7,927,324 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Portaero, Inc
• Original Assignee: Portaero, Inc
• Inventors: Wiesman, Joshua P., Plough, David C., Tanaka, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons; Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Jr.; Bradley G
• Application Number:
  US12/388,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20090209936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 604/99.04, 604/167.02, 604/212, 604/500, 604/217, 604/28, 604/214, 604/35, 604/37, 604/67, 604/118, 604/22, 604/257, 604/540, 604/541, 604/543, 604/327, 604/328, 604/337, 128/203.15, 128/278, 600/435, 600/571, 600/566, 606/1, 606/213, 606/50
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/007 Pulmonary tract; Aromatherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/04 Artificial pneumothorax apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/042 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/00 Insufflators for therapeutic or disinfectant purposes , i.e. devices for blowing a gas, powder or vapour into the body hand-held units in which gas flow is produced by muscular energy at the moment of use B05B11/062
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/02 with activated or ionised fluids, e.g. electrohydrodynamic [EHD] or electrostatic devices; Ozone-inhalators with radioactive tagged particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/202 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0252 for access to the lungs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0276 for introducing or removing fluids into or out of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/025 Helium
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/075 Bulb type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7518 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/7536 : allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 : Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 : in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 : Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/00 : Drainage appliance for wounds or the like , i.e. wound drains, implanted drains negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90; implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 ; middle ear drainage A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/02 : Access sites
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 : Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053

Abstract

A method for treating a pneumostoma by applying suction to the pneumostoma in order to remove solid or liquid discharge. A pneumostoma aspirator including a bulb or syringe is used to apply negative pressure to a tube which enters the pneumostoma. The pneumostoma aspirator may be used in conjunction with a pneumostoma management device. Alternatively, the pneumostoma aspirator may be used after the pneumostoma management device has been removed. The pneumostoma aspirator may also be used to introduce irrigation fluid into the pneumostoma and/or remove irrigation fluid and discharge from the pneumostoma.

Claims

1. A method of treating a pneumostoma wherein the method comprises:

(a) receiving a pneumostoma aspirator comprising,

a tube having a distal aperture and a lumen wherein the tube is adapted to be inserted into the pneumostoma,

a flange connected to the tube at a fixed distance from the distal aperture,

a suction device connected to the tube, and

(b) inserting the tube into the pneumostoma;

(c) engaging a chest of a patient with the flange;

(d) operating the suction device to apply negative pressure to the lumen to draw discharge into the lumen from the pneumostoma through the distal aperture; and

(e) removing the pneumostoma aspirator and discharge from the pneumostoma.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the suction device is a manually-operated suction device and wherein step (d) comprises manually operating the suction device to apply negative pressure to the lumen to draw discharge into the lumen from the pneumostoma through the distal aperture.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the suction device is a flexible bulb and wherein step (d) comprises:

(d1) compressing the flexible bulb; and

(d2) allowing the flexible bulb to re-expand to apply negative pressure to the lumen to draw discharge into the lumen from the pneumostoma through the distal aperture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the suction device is a syringe and wherein step (d) comprises:

(d1) withdrawing a plunger of the syringe to apply negative pressure to the lumen to draw discharge into the lumen from the pneumostoma through the distal aperture.

5. The method of claim 1 performed on a pneumostoma having a pneumostoma management device therein, the method further comprising:

(f) removing the pneumostoma management device from the pneumostoma prior to step (b).

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) inserting a pneumostoma management device into the pneumostoma promptly after step (e).

7. The method of claim 1 performed on a pneumostoma having a pneumostoma management device therein, the method further comprising:

(f1) removing the pneumostoma management device from the pneumostoma prior to step (b); and

(f2) inserting a pneumostoma management device into the pneumostoma promptly after step (e).

20. The method of claim 1, performed on a pneumostoma, which comprises a surgically-created aperture which passes through a chest wall of a patient and into a lung of a patient without communicating with a pleural cavity of the patient and which enables gasses to exit the lung through the chest wall of the patient.

8. A method for treating a pneumostoma, which comprises a surgically-created aperture which passes through a chest wall of a patient and into a lung of a patient without communicating with a pleural cavity of the patient and which enables gasses to exit the lung through the chest wall of the patient, wherein the method comprises:

(a) providing a pneumostoma management device which includes,

a tube having a lumen and a distal aperture and adapted for placement in a pneumostoma, and

a flange connected to the tube at a fixed distance from the distal aperture;

(b) providing a pneumostoma aspirator which includes a suction device adapted to provide negative pressure;

(c) inserting the tube of the pneumostoma management device into the pneumostoma;

(d) securing the flange of the pneumostoma management device to a chest of a patient;

(e) coupling the pneumostoma aspirator to the pneumostoma management device; and

(f) operating the suction device to apply negative pressure to the lumen of the tube thereby drawing discharge into the lumen from the pneumostoma through the distal aperture in the tube.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the suction device is a manually-operated suction device and wherein step (f) comprises manually operating the suction device to apply negative pressure to the lumen of the tube thereby drawing discharge into the lumen from the pneumostoma through the distal aperture in the tube.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the suction device includes a flexible bulb and wherein step (f) comprises:

(f1) compressing the flexible bulb; and

(f2) allowing the flexible bulb to re-expand to apply negative pressure to the lumen of the tube thereby drawing discharge into the lumen from the pneumostoma through the distal aperture in the tube.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the suction device includes a syringe and wherein step (f) includes withdrawing a plunger of the syringe to apply negative pressure to the lumen of the tube thereby drawing discharge into the lumen from the pneumostoma through the distal opening in the tube.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(g) uncoupling the pneumostoma aspirator from the pneumostoma management device after step (f).

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(g) removing the pneumostoma management device from the pneumostoma after step (f).

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(g) removing the pneumostoma management device from the pneumostoma after step (f); and

(h) inserting another pneumostoma management device into the pneumostoma promptly after step (g).

15. A method for treating a pneumostoma, which comprises a surgically-created aperture which passes through a chest wall of a patient and into a lung of a patient without communicating with a pleural cavity of the patient and which enables gasses to exit the lung through the chest wall of the patient, the pneumostoma having a pneumostoma management device positioned therein, wherein the method comprises:

(a) removing the pneumostoma management device from the pneumostoma;

(b) inserting a pneumostoma aspirator into the pneumostoma;

(c) operating the pneumostoma aspirator to remove discharge from the pneumostoma into the pneumostoma aspirator; and

(d) removing the pneumostoma aspirator from the pneumostoma.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

(e) inserting another pneumostoma management device into the pneumostoma promptly after step (d).

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the pneumostoma aspirator is a manually-operated pneumostoma aspirator and wherein step (c) comprises manually operating the pneumostoma aspirator to remove discharge from the pneumostoma into the pneumostoma aspirator.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the pneumostoma aspirator includes a flexible bulb and wherein step (f) comprises:

(c1) compressing the flexible bulb of the pneumostoma aspirator; and

(c2) allowing the flexible bulb of the pneumostoma aspirator to re-expand to remove discharge from the pneumostoma into the pneumostoma aspirator.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the pneumostoma aspirator includes a syringe and wherein step (c) includes withdrawing a plunger of the syringe of the pneumostoma aspirator to remove discharge from the pneumostoma into the pneumostoma aspirator.