Patent Application
20200000979
None.
An aspect of the disclosure relates to a fluid suction device capable of use in medical applications.
A Jackson-Pratt Drain is commonly used as a post-operative drain. The Jackson Pratt Drain has a closed low negative-pressure system with a one-way valve, collecting exudate such as pus, blood, bile, or serious drainage extracted through the surgically placed flexible tubing that deposits into a grenade-shaped reservoir bulb.
The existing Jackson Pratt Drain has a stopper that generates an unintentional broken seal or dislodgement from the perimeter of the emptying port. The broken seal releases air and exudate and is the responsible component for the unintentional collapse of the reservoir bulb which triggers a failure of the low negative-pressure system. This collapse of the reservoir bulb thus terminates the performance of the existing Jackson-Pratt Drain. These malfunctions of the existing Jackson-Pratt drain are time consuming and counterproductive for the entire health care team, and ultimately a successful patient outcome.
An improved suction device 10, as shown for example in
This improvement produces a tight seal to the perimeter of the emptying port which eliminates the leakage of air and exudate, or subsequent collapse of the reservoir bulb and drainage system. By maintaining a reliable closed low negative-pressure system and one-way valve 20, the Myers Device optimizes the performance of the surgically placed flexible tubing 12 allowing an accurate extraction of exudate into the collective reservoir bulb. In addition, the reliable closed system decreases the introduction of infection to the patient's surgical site.
The Myers Device also provides a dual technique of sampling and emptying of exudate. This technique can be performed under either a sterile or non-sterile field attaching any sized intended needleless luer lock tip syringe to the adaptive luer lock device. This technique of withdrawing exudate from a reliable closed system also reduces the risk of human blood exposure such as Methyl Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE), Hepatitis, and HIV to the health care worker.
Overall, the Myers Device is an innovative idea that maintains a reliable closed low negative-pressure system. This innovative idea which improves the performance of the existing Jackson-Pratt drain offers an accurate drainage system, maintains a proper seal decreasing the introduction of infection to the patient, and provides an operative dual technique of sampling and emptying of exudate from the collecting reservoir bulb. The reliable closed system also reduces the high risk of human blood exposure to the healthcare worker enriching the performance of the Jackson-Pratt Drain.
In one aspect, a medical device includes a reservoir for creating a vacuum and storing fluid; an input port for receiving the fluid from a patient into the reservoir; an input valve that prevents any fluid (e.g., exudate, blood, air, etc.) from flowing out of the reservoir through the input port; and a connector. The connector can have a locking interface that mates with a needleless syringe, and a valve, internal to the connector, that opens to permit flow of the fluid through the connector (and out of the reservoir) when connected to the needleless syringe but closes to prevent the flow when not connected.
In another aspect, a process is described, that includes providing a medical device (e.g., a Jackson Pratt Drain) and a connector (e.g., a luer lock). The connector can have a) a locking interface that mates with a needleless syringe, and b) a valve that opens to permit flow of fluid through the connector when connected to the needleless syringe but closes to prevent the flow when not connected. The medical device can have A) a reservoir for housing fluid and creating a vacuum, B) an input port for receiving the fluid from a patient, C) an input valve that prevents the fluid from flowing from the reservoir through the input port, and D) an emptying or exit port to remove the fluid from the reservoir, and to create the vacuum. The process further includes attaching the connector to the exit port of the medical device. The process can further include attaching a needleless syringe to the connector; and extracting the fluid from the reservoir with the needleless syringe.
Several embodiments of the disclosure here are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and they mean at least one. Also, in the interest of conciseness and reducing the total number of figures, a given figure may be used to illustrate the features of more than one embodiment of the disclosure, and not all elements in the figure may be required for a given embodiment.
Several embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the appended drawings are now explained. Whenever the shapes, relative positions and other embodiments of the parts described are not explicitly defined, the scope of the invention is not limited only to the parts shown, which are meant merely for the purpose of illustration. Also, while numerous details are set forth, it is understood that some embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this description.
To further illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure, a typical Jackson-Pratt Drain is shown in
A user, (e.g., a trained health care worker) can squeeze the bulb 38 to create a negative pressure (e.g., a vacuum) inside of the bulb. This vacuum will draw fluid/exudate from the patient into the bulb. A valve 37 can allow fluid to enter the bulb and prevent fluid from flowing out of the input port, to prevent potentially harmful backflow of fluid into the patient.
Typically, after the user squeezes the bulb, the stopper 31 is inserted into a channel 32 of the exit port, while the bulb is compressed. The stopper prevents fluid from flowing out of the bulb and maintains the vacuum in the reservoir caused by the compression of the bulb. As mentioned, however, the stopper can inadvertently pop loose or displace itself from the exit port because it is not securely connected to the exit port. This can result in bodily fluids spilling onto the patient and/or contaminating the site.
In addition, repetitive use of the stopper (e.g., inserting and removing the stopper repeatedly over days and weeks) can reduce the holding ability of the stopper to stay in place (e.g., due to wear and warping of the stopper or the exit port). Thus, the more the stopper is used, the less reliable it can become.
Referring now to
In addition to the features mentioned above, which are shared with the typical Jackson Pratt device, the Myers device has a connector 54 (e.g., a luer lock) having a locking interface 59, and a valve 58. The locking interface 59 (e.g., threads) mates with a needleless syringe and/or other compatible mating interfaces. The valve 58 opens to permit flow of the fluid through the connector when connected to for example the needleless syringe, but closes to prevent the flow when not connected. A user, (e.g., a trained health care worker) can squeeze the bulb to create a negative pressure (e.g., a vacuum) inside of the bulb. The user can then attach the connector 54 (e.g., by rotating threads of the connector onto the emptying port), which maintains the vacuum in the reservoir. Additionally or alternatively, the user can attach the needleless syringe and extract fluid from the reservoir to create or maintain the vacuum. The Myers device bulb can be emptied while simultaneously maintaining the vacuum with a needleless syringe in both a sterile field (an area kept sterile to protect patients during a medical procedure such as surgery), and a non-sterile field (for example, post-operatively such as in a recovery room or in a patient's home upon discharge). The syringe emptying process can be performed continuously, post operation, and can be performed easily due to the locking of the connector and the automatic closing of the connector through the connector valve, when the syringe is disconnected,
A lock is achieved between the needleless syringe (or other compatible mating interface) and the connector, by mating the threads of the connector onto threads of the needleless syringe. By mating with a syringe that does not have a needle, this can avoid puncture of the device (e.g., the reservoir) caused by inadvertent poking with the needle, and can make the process of extraction of fluid faster (needleless syringes have larger openings) and safer by avoiding needle stick injuries to the user.
In one embodiment, the locking interface of the connector 54 is a female luer lock. A needleless syringe (e.g., having a male luer lock tip) mates with the female luer lock of the Myers Device. Luer lock fittings are securely joined by means of a tabbed hub or threads on a female luer lock which screws into threads in a sleeve on the male luer lock (see, e.g.,
Referring back to
It also should be understood the connector 54 can be fixed to the emptying port 52 or it can be formed integral with (e.g., ‘built into’) the collar 60 in a monolithic manner with known manufacturing methods. Such details are not germane to the present disclosure.
The reservoir can have a variety of shapes, including ovoid (as shown in
A flexible tube 66 can be attached to the input port 64 at a first end of the flexible tube, and to a perforated or channeled drain 69 at a second end of the flexible tube. The drain 69 can help extract fluid when inserted in a patient (e.g., through capillary action).
The Myers Device, in one embodiment, does not have a stopper that plugs into an emptying port (e.g., the manually removable stopper 31 and the tube-shaped emptying port 33 shown in
In one embodiment, the connector 54 has a clear housing. In this manner, the connector can be examined for residual fluid (e.g., blood, debris, etc.) and the connection between the connector 54 and a mating part (e.g., syringe) can be visually verified.
A cap 70 can be fixed onto the connector (e.g., at interface 59) when not in use and not connected to another mating device. The cap can screw onto threads of the connector or have a pressure fitting. The cap can be an anti-microbial cap having one or more anti-microbial substances on the cap.
Referring now to
A locking interface (e.g., a female luer lock) of the connector can connect to the needleless syringe 90. It should be understood, however, that instead of the needleless syringe there can be another device capable of mating to the connector 80, for example, a male luer lock. The male luer lock can be connected to other objects on a second end such as a flexible tube that allows remote fluidic access (e.g., sampling and fluid extraction) to the device.
A valve 82, housed in the connector, can open or become activated through compression caused by a stem portion 94 of the needleless syringe (or other male luer lock fitting) when connected. The valve 82 can be a compressible spring-like material. The threads 93 mate with threads 83 of the connector, achieving a locked connection. A tapered stem 94 of the needleless syringe can mate with a tapered or non-tapered opening 84 of the connector when the threads are mated. It should be understood that the connector 80 and mechanical features thereof (such as the tapered opening, the valve, the threadings, etc.) are shown for illustration purposes rather than to show an exact reproduction or geometry. Furthermore, designs of such features are known and can vary. For example, connectors with a male luer lock portion 86 and female luer lock portion 87 can be found, for example, through manufacturers such as Baxter (Clearlink Needle-free IV Access System) and CareFusion (MaxPlus® clear needleless connector) of this disclosure.
In one embodiment, an article of manufacture includes a reservoir for creating a vacuum and housing fluid; an input port for receiving the fluid from a patient; an input valve that prevents the fluid from flowing from the reservoir through the input port; and a luer lock connector (e.g., a female luer lock connector) that permits flow of the fluid through the luer lock connector (e.g., out of the reservoir) when connected to a mating luer lock device, but prevents the flow when not connected. The luer lock connector can have a valve, as described in other sections. Luer lock connectors have a locking mechanism (e.g., a threads) to secure or ‘lock’ connections between a male and female luer lock. In contrast, a Luer slip connector, also known as slip tip fittings, simply conform to Luer taper dimensions and are pressed together and held by friction. They do not have threads and can be less secure than luer locks.
A process 100 is shown in
At block 99, the process can include squeezing a reservoir bulb to create a vacuum. It should be noted that this step is optional, given that the vacuum can be created in the reservoir by use of a needleless syringe, as shown in block 103.
At block 101, the process can include attaching the connector to an exit port of the medical device.
The process can further include, at block 103, attaching the needleless syringe to the connector. At block 105, the process can further include extracting the fluid from the reservoir with the needleless syringe and/or maintaining a vacuum inside the reservoir.
While certain embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that the invention is not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It should also be understood that while some features are shown in the figures with certain embodiments, those features can be combined with other embodiments described in this disclosure and/or shown in different figures.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62763673 | Jun 2018 | US |
