Self-contained fluid management pump system for surgical procedures

• US 6,602,221 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2000
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Saravia, Heber, Voges, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez, Manuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAN, MARK K
• Application Number:
  US09/609,413
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 604/151, 604/131, 604/65, 604/30, 604/66, 604/67, 604/27, 604/31, 604/32, 604/33, 604/34
• US Class Current: 604/31
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0202 with electronic control means or interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0216 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0258 by means of electric pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0279 Cannula; Nozzles; Tips; their connection means

Abstract

A fluid management pump system (20) for applying an irrigation/distention solution to a surgical site. The system includes a pump (22) for forcing the solution through an inflow tube (28). A portable power pack (26) attached to the pup provides the energization current for actuating the pump. The solution is introduced into the surgical site from the inflow tube through a first cannula (30) across which there is a relatively small pressure drop. Fluid discharged from the surgical site is drained from the site through a second cannula (32) across which there is a low pressure drop. A hand controller (38) is attached to the inflow and outflow tubes. The hand controller contains a valve (46) for regulating fluid flow through the outflow tube. A pump control circuit (232) is also disposed in the hand controller. Based on the actuation of buttons (42, 44) mounted to the hand controller, the pump control circuit regulates the energization signal applied to the pump so as to regulate the rate at which solution is discharged from the pump.

Claims

1. A fluid management pump system for supplying fluid to a surgical site, said system comprising:

an electrically actuated pump, said pump having an inlet opening through which fluid is received and an outlet conduit through which fluid is discharged, wherein said pump is configured to operate at a variable rate in response to a pump control signal;

a power source connected to said pump for supplying electrical power to said pump;

a flexible inflow tube that extends from said outlet conduit through which the fluid is applied to the surgical site;

a hand controller attached to said inflow tube at a location spaced from said pump so that said inflow tube flexibly connects said hand controller to said pump;

a first transducer fitted to said hand controller, said first transducer being configured to monitor;

fluid pressure in said inflow tube;

fluid flow through said inflow tube or fluid pressure at the surgical site and to generate a first transducer signal representative of the parameter monitored by said first transducer; and

a pump control circuit connected to said pump and to said first transducer, said pump control circuit being configured to receive the first transducer signal and, based on the first transducer signal, generate the pump control signal to said pump.

2. The fluid management pump system of claim 1, wherein:

a user-actuated switch is mounted to said hand controller; and

said pump control circuit is connected to said switch and is configured to generate the pump control signal based on the first transducer signal and the actuation of said switch.

3. The fluid management pump system of claim 1, wherein:

said inflow tube is formed to have two spaced apart sections, the inflow tube sections have adjacent ends;

said hand controller is formed with a rigid tube and the opposed ends of the inflow tube sections are connected to opposed ends of the rigid tube; and

said first transducer is mounted to said hand controller rigid tube.

4. The fluid management pump system of claim 1, wherein an outflow tube through which fluid is discharged from the surgical site is attached to said hand controller.

5. The fluid management pump system of claim 4, wherein an adjustable control valve is mounted to said hand controller for regulating fluid flow through said outflow tube.

6. The fluid management pump system of claim 4, wherein:

said first transducer is configured to monitor fluid pressure in said inflow tube or fluid flow through said inflow tube;

a second transducer is mounted to said hand controller and is configured to monitor fluid pressure in said outflow tube or fluid flow through said outflow tube and said second transducer generates a second transducer signal based on the parameter monitored by said second transducer; and

said pump control circuit is configured to receive said second transducer signal and to generate the pump control signal as a function of the first transducer signal and the second transducer signal.

7. The fluid management pump system of claim 1, wherein:

said first transducer is configured to monitor fluid pressure in said inflow tube or fluid flow through said inflow tube;

said hand controller is shaped to receive a column of fluid from the surgical site;

a second transducer is mounted to said hand controller and is configured to monitor the fluid pressure at the surgical site based on the received column of fluid and said second transducer generates a second transducer signal based on the fluid pressure at the surgical site; and

said pump control circuit is configured to receive said second transducer signal and to generate the pump control signal as a function of the first transducer signal and the second transducer signal.

8. The fluid management pump system of claim 1, wherein said pump control circuit is mounted in said hand controller.

9. The fluid management pump system of claim 1, wherein said power source is a self-contained power source.

10. The fluid management pump of claim 1, wherein:

said inflow tube is formed so as to have two spaced apart sections, said sections having adjacent ends;

said hand controller is formed with a rigid tube with opposed ends and the adjacent ends of the sections of said inflow tube are connected to the opposed ends of said hand controller rigid tube and said rigid tube is formed to have a first section with a first inner diameter and a second section with a second inner diameter, the second inner diameter being less than the first diameter;

a first pressure transducer is mounted to the first section of said rigid tube, said first pressure transducer is configured to generate the first transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the first section of the rigid tube and a second pressure transducer is mounted to the second section of said rigid tube and said second pressure transducer is configured to generate a second transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the second section of the rigid tube;

said pump control circuit is configured to receive the first and second transducer signals and, based on the transducer signals determine fluid flow rate through said inflow tube and, as a function of the fluid flow rate through said inflow tube, regulates the output of the pump control signal.

12. The fluid management pump system of claim 2, wherein:

said hand controller includes;

a first transducer assembly for monitoring the rate of fluid flow through said inflow tube or the fluid pressure in said inflow tube and said first transducer assembly generates the first transducer signal as function of the rate of fluid flow through said inflow tube or the fluid pressure in said inflow tube; and

a second transducer assembly adapted to receive a column of fluid from the surgical site and said second transducer assembly generates a second transducer signal as a function of the fluid pressure at the surgical site; and

said pump control circuit receives the first transducer signal and the second transducer signal, and based on the first transducer signal and the second transducer signal, said pump control circuit outputs the pump control signal.

13. The fluid management pump system of claim 2, further including an output tube through which fluid discharged from the surgical site is drained and wherein said output tube is attached to said chassis.

14. The fluid management pump of claim 13, further including an adjustable control valve mounted to said hand controller chassis for regulating fluid flow through said outflow tube.

15. The fluid management pump system of claim 13, wherein:

said hand controller includes;

a first transducer assembly for monitoring the fluid pressure in said inflow tube or the rate of fluid flow through said inflow tube and said first transducer assembly generates the first transducer signal as function of the fluid pressure in said inflow tube or the rate of fluid flow through said inflow tube; and

a second transducer assembly for monitoring the fluid pressure in said outflow tube or the rate of fluid flow through said outflow tube and said second transducer assembly generates a second transducer signal as function of the fluid pressure in said outflow tube or the rate of fluid flow through said outflow tube; and

said pump control circuit receives the first transducer signal and the second transducer signal, and based on the first transducer signal and the second transducer signal, said pump control circuit outputs the pump control signal.

16. The fluid management pump of claim 13, wherein:

at least one of said inflow tube or said outflow tube is formed so as to have two spaced apart sections, each section having an end adjacent the other section;

said hand controller chassis is formed with a rigid tube with opposed ends and the adjacent ends of the sections of said inflow tube or said outflow tube are connected to the opposed ends of said hand controller rigid tube and said rigid tube is formed to have a first section with a first inner diameter and a second section with a second inner diameter, the second inner diameter being less than the first inner diameter;

a first pressure transducer is mounted to the first section of said rigid tube, said first pressure transducer is configured to generate the first transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the first section of the rigid tube and a second pressure transducer is mounted, to the second section of said rigid tube and said second pressure transducer is configured to generate a second transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the second section of the rigid tube;

said pump control circuit is configured to receive the first and second transducer signals and, based on the transducer signals determine fluid flow rate through the one of said inflow tube or said outflow tube to which said rigid tube is connected.

11. A fluid management pump system for supplying fluid from a container to a surgical site, said system comprising:

a pump to which fluid is supplied, said pump having an outlet conduit and being configured to force the fluid through the outlet conduit wherein, said pump operates at a variable rate based on a received pump control signal;

an inflow tube connected to the pump outlet conduit, said inflow tube serving as a conduit over which the fluid discharged from the pump is flowed to the surgical site;

a hand controller, said hand controller including;

a chassis attached to said inflow tube at a location spaced from said pump so that said hand controller is flexibly connected to said pump by said inflow tube;

at least one transducer mounted to said chassis for providing a variable first transducer signal representative of;

fluid flow through said inflow tube;

fluid pressure in said inflow tube;

or fluid pressure at the surgical site; and

a pump control circuit, said pump control circuit being connected to said at least one transducer for receiving the first transducer signal, said pump control circuit, in response to the first transducer signal, is configured to output the pump control signal to said pump; and

a cable extending between said pump and said chassis for providing a conductive path for signal transfer from said chassis to said pump.

17. The fluid management pump of claim 11, further including a pressure-set valve disposed in said inflow tube between said pump and said hand controller for preventing fluid flow from said hand controller to said pump.

18. The fluid management pump of claim 17, wherein an accumulator formed of elastic material is located in line with said inflow tube between said pump and said hand controller and said pressure-set valve is attached to an end of said accumulator located proximally relative to said pump.

19. The fluid pump management system of claim 11, wherein:

said hand controller chassis is further formed to have a conduit adapted to receive a column of fluid from the surgical site; and

said at least one transducer is a pressure transducer mounted to said conduit and is configured to generate said first transducer signal as a function of the pressure of fluid in the fluid column.

20. The fluid management pump system of claim 11, wherein:

a user-actuated electrical switch is mounted to said hand controller chassis; and

said pump control circuit is connected to said switch and is further configured to generate the pump control signal based on said first transducer signal and the actuation of said switch.

21. The fluid management pump system of claim 20, wherein said pump control circuit is mounted in said hand controller chassis and said cable supplies the pump control signal to said pump.

22. The fluid management pump system of claim 11, wherein said pump control circuit is mounted in said hand controller chassis and said cable supplies the pump control signal to said pump.

23. The fluid management pump system of claim 11, further including a self-contained power pack attached to said pump for supplying electrical power to said pump.

24. The fluid management pump of claim 11, wherein:

said inflow tube is formed so as to have two spaced apart sections, each section having an end adjacent the other section;

said hand controller chassis is formed with a rigid tube with opposed ends and the adjacent ends of the sections of said inflow tube are connected to the opposed ends of said hand controller rigid tube and said rigid tube is formed to have a first section with a first inner diameter and a second section with a second inner diameter, the second inner diameter being less than the first diameter;

a first pressure transducer is mounted to the first section of said rigid tube, said first pressure transducer is configured to generate the first transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the first section of the rigid tube and a second pressure transducer is mounted to the second section of said rigid tube and said second pressure transducer is configured to generate a second transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the second section of the rigid tube;

said pump control circuit is configured to receive the first and second transducer signals and, based on the transducer signals determine fluid flow rate through said inflow tube and, as a function of the fluid flow rate through said inflow tube, regulates the output of the pump control signal.

25. A fluid management pump system for supplying fluid to a surgical site, said system comprising:

an electrically actuated pump, said pump having an inlet opening through which fluid is received and an outlet opening through which fluid is discharged, wherein said pump is configured to operate at a variable rate in response to a pump control signal;

a power source connected to said pump for supplying electrical power to said pump;

a flexible inflow tube that extends from the outlet opening of said pump through which the fluid is applied to the surgical site;

a hand controller attached to said inflow tube at a location spaced from said pump so that said inflow tube flexibly connects said hand controller to said pump;

an outflow tube through which fluid is discharged from the surgical site, said outflow tube being connected to said hand controller;

a first transducer fitted to said hand controller, said first transducer being configured to monitor;

fluid pressure in said inflow tube;

fluid flow through said inflow tube;

fluid pressure in said outflow tube;

fluid flow through said outflow tube;

or fluid pressure at the surgical site and to generate a first transducer signal representative of the parameter monitored by said first transducer; and

a pump control circuit connected to said pump and to said first transducer, said pump control circuit being configured to receive the first transducer signal and, based on the first transducer signal, to generate the pump control signal for application to said pump.

26. The fluid management pump system of claim 25, further including a valve mounted to said hand controller for regulating fluid flow through said outflow tube.

27. The fluid management pump system of claim 25, wherein:

said hand controller is configured to receive a column of fluid from the surgical site; and

said first transducer is mounted to said hand controller to monitor fluid pressure of the fluid column from the surgical site.

28. The fluid management pump of claim 25, wherein:

said inflow tube or said outflow tube is formed so as to have two spaced apart sections, said sections having adjacent ends;

said hand controller is formed with a rigid tube with opposed ends and the adjacent ends of the sections of said inflow tube or said outflow tube are connected to the opposed ends of said hand controller rigid tube and said rigid tube is formed to have a first section with a first inner diameter and a second section with a second inner diameter, the second inner diameter being less than the first diameter;

a first pressure transducer is mounted to the first section of said rigid tube, said first pressure transducer is configured to generate the first transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the first section of the rigid tube and a second pressure transducer is mounted to the second section of said rigid tube and said second pressure transducer is configured to generate a second transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the second section of the rigid tube;

said pump control circuit is configured to receive the first and second transducer signals and, based on the transducer signals determine fluid flow rate through said inflow tube or said outflow tube and, as a function of the fluid flow rate through said tube, regulates the output of the pump control signal.

29. A fluid management pump system for supplying fluid to a surgical site, said system comprising:

a pump having an inlet opening through which fluid is received and an outlet opening through which fluid is discharged, wherein said pump is configured to operate at a variable rate in response to a pump control signal;

a power source connected to said pump for supplying electrical power to said pump;

a flexible inflow tube that extends from the outlet opening of said pump through which the fluid is applied to the surgical site;

a hand controller attached to said inflow tube at a location spaced from said pump, so that said inflow tube flexibly connects said hand controller to said pump;

an outflow tube through which fluid is discharged from the surgical site, said outflow tube being connected to said hand controller;

a valve moveably mounted to said hand controller for regulating fluid flow through said outflow tube;

a first transducer fitted to said hand controller, said first transducer being configured to monitor;

fluid pressure in said inflow tube;

fluid flow through said inflow tube;

fluid pressure in said outflow tube;

fluid flow through said outflow tube;

or fluid pressure at the surgical site and to generate a first transducer signal representative of the parameter monitored by said first transducer; and

a pump control circuit connected to said pump and to said first transducer, said pump control circuit being configured to receive the first transducer signal and, based on the first transducer signal, generate the pump control signal to said pump.

30. The fluid management pump system of claim 29, wherein:

said first transducer is configured to monitor fluid pressure in said inflow tube or fluid flow through said inflow tube;

a second transducer is mounted to said hand controller and is configured to monitor fluid pressure in said outflow tube or fluid flow through said outflow tube and said second transducer generates a second transducer signal based on the parameter monitored by said second transducer; and

said pump control circuit is configured to receive said second transducer signal and to generate the pump control signal as a function of the first transducer signal and the second transducer signal.

31. The fluid management pump system of claim 29, wherein:

said first transducer is configured to monitor fluid pressure in said inflow tube or fluid flow through said inflow tube;

said hand controller is shaped to receive a column of fluid from the surgical site;

a second transducer is mounted to said hand controller and is configured to monitor the fluid pressure at the surgical site based on the received column of fluid and said second transducer generates a second transducer signal based on the fluid pressure at the surgical site; and

said pump control circuit is configured to receive said second transducer signal and to generate the pump control signal as a function of the first transducer signal and the second transducer signal.

32. The fluid management pump system of claim 29, wherein said pump control circuit is mounted in said hand controller.

33. The fluid management pump system of claim 29, wherein said power source is a self-contained power source.

34. The fluid management pump of claim 29, wherein:

said inflow tube or said outflow tube is formed so as to have two spaced apart sections, said sections having adjacent ends;

said hand controller is formed with a rigid tube with opposed ends and the adjacent ends of the sections of said inflow tube or said outflow tube are connected to the opposed ends of said hand controller rigid tube and said rigid tube is formed to have a first section with a first inner diameter and a second section with a second inner diameter, the second inner diameter being less than the first diameter;

a first pressure transducer is mounted to the first section of said rigid tube, said first pressure transducer is configured to generate the first transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the first section of the rigid tube and a second pressure transducer is mounted to the second section of said rigid tube and said second pressure transducer is configured to generate a second transducer signal as a function of the pressure in the second section of the rigid tube;

said pump control circuit is configured to receive the first and second transducer signals and, based on the transducer signals determine fluid flow rate through said inflow tube or said outflow tube and, as a function of the fluid flow rate through said tube, regulates the output of the pump control signal.