Fluid conditioning system

Details Fluid conditioning system Fluid conditioning system

2001-11-27

2003-05-13

Lewis, Ralph A. (Department: 3732)

Dentistry

Apparatus

Having intra-oral dispensing means

C433S029000, C606S010000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06561803

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to medical cutting, irrigating, evacuating, cleaning, and drilling techniques and, more particularly to a system for introducing conditioned fluids into the cutting, irrigating, evacuating, cleaning, and drilling techniques.
A prior art dental/medical work station
11
is shown in
FIG. 1. A
vacuum line
12
and an air supply line
13
supply negative and positive pressures, respectively. A water supply line
14
and an electrical outlet
15
supply water and power, respectively. The vacuum line
12
, the air supply line
13
, the water supply line
14
, and the power source
15
are all connected to the dental/medical unit
16
.
The dental/medical unit
16
may comprise a dental seat or an operating table, a sink, an overhead light, and other conventional equipment used in dental and medical procedures. The dental/medical unit
16
provides water, air, vacuum and/or power to the instruments
17
. These instruments may include an electrocauterizer, an electromagnetic energy source, a mechanical drill, a mechanical saw, a canal finder, a syringe, and/or an evacuator.
The electromagnetic energy source is typically a laser coupled with a delivery system. The laser
18
a
and delivery system
19
a
, both shown in phantom, as well as any of the above-mentioned instruments, may be connected directly to the dental/medical unit
16
. Alternatively, the laser
18
b
and delivery system
19
b
, both shown in phantom, may be connected directly to the water supply
14
, the air supply
13
, and the electric outlet
15
. Other instruments
17
may be connected directly to any of the vacuum line
12
, the air supply line
13
, the water supply line
14
, and/or the electrical outlet
15
.
The laser
18
and delivery system
19
may typically comprise an electromagnetic cutter for dental use. A conventional prior art electromagnetic cutter is shown in FIG.
2
. According to this prior art apparatus, a fiber guide tube
30
, a water line
31
, an air line
32
, and an air knife line
33
(which supplies pressurized air) may be fed from the dental/medical unit
16
into the hand-held apparatus
34
. A cap
35
fits onto the hand-held apparatus
34
and is secured via threads
36
. The fiber guide tube
30
abuts within a cylindrical metal piece
37
. Another cylindrical metal piece
38
is a part of the cap
35
. When the cap
35
is threaded onto the hand-held device
34
, the two cylindrical metal tubes
37
and
38
are moved into very close proximity of one another. The pressurized air from the air knife line
33
surrounds and cools the laser as the laser bridges the gap between the two metal cylindrical objects
37
and
38
. Air from the air knife line
33
flows out of the two exhausts
39
and
41
after cooling the interface between elements
37
and
38
.
The laser energy exits from the fiber guide tube
42
and is applied to a target surface within the patient's mouth, according to a predetermined surgical plan. Water from the water line
31
and pressurized air from the air line
32
are forced into the mixing chamber
43
. The air and water mixture is very turbulent in the mixing chamber
43
, and exits this chamber through a mesh screen with small holes
44
. The air and water mixture travels along the outside of the fiber guide tube
42
, and then leaves the tube
42
and contacts the area of surgery. The air and water spray coming from the tip of the fiber guide tube
42
helps to cool the target surface being cut and to remove materials cut by the laser.
Water is generally used in a variety of laser cutting operations in order to cool the target surface. Additionally, water is used in mechanical drilling operations for cooling the target surface and removing cut or drilled materials therefrom. Many prior art cutting or drilling systems use a combination of air and water, commonly combined to form a light mist, for cooling a target surface and/or removing cut materials from the target surface.
The use of water in these prior art systems has been somewhat successful for the limited purposes of cooling a target surface or removing debris therefrom. These prior art uses of water in cutting and drilling operations, however, have not allowed for versatility, outside of the two functions of cooling and removing debris. In particular, during cutting or drilling operations, medication treatments, preventative measure applications, and aesthetically pleasing substances, such as flavors or aromas, have not been possible or used. A conventional drilling operation may benefit from the use of an anesthetic near the drilling operation, for example, but during this drilling operation only water and/or air has so far been used. In the case of a laser cutting operation, a disinfectant, such as iodine, could be applied to the target surface during drilling to guard against infection, but this additional disinfectant has not been applied during such laser cutting operations. In the case of an oral drilling or cutting operation, unpleasant tastes or odors may be generated, which may be unpleasing to the patient. The conventional use of only water during this oral procedure does not mask the undesirable taste or odor. A need has thus existed in the prior art for versatility of applications and of treatments during drilling and cutting procedures.
Compressed gases, pressurized air, and electrical motors are commonly used to provide the driving force for mechanical cutting instruments, such as drills, in dentistry and medicine. The compressed gases and pressurized water are subsequently ejected into the atmosphere in close proximity to or inside of the patient's mouth and/or nose. The same holds true for electrically driven turbines when a cooling spray (air and water) is typically ejected into the patient's mouth, as well. These ejected fluids commonly contain vaporous elements of burnt flesh or drilled tissue structure. This odor can be quite uncomfortable for the patient, and can increase trauma experienced by the patient during the drilling or cutting procedure. In a such a drilling or cutting procedure, a mechanism for masking the smell and the odor generated from the cutting or drilling may be advantageous.
Another problem exists in the prior art with bacteria growth on surfaces within a dental operating room. The interior surfaces of air, vacuum, and water lines of the dental unit, for example, are subject to bacteria growth. Additionally, the air and water used to cool the tissue being cut or drilled within the patient's mouth is often vaporized into the air to some degree. This vaporized air and water condensates on surfaces of the dental equipment within the dental operating room. These moist surfaces can also promote bacteria growth, which is undesirable. A system for reducing the bacteria growth within air, vacuum, and water lines, and for reducing the bacteria growth resulting from condensation on exterior surfaces, is needed to reduce sources of contamination within a dental operating room.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The fluid conditioning system of the present invention is adaptable to most existing medical and dental cutting, irrigating, evacuating, cleaning, and drilling apparatuses. Flavored fluid is used in place of regular tap water during drilling operations. In the case of a laser surgical operation, electromagnetic energy is focused in a direction of the tissue to be cut, and a fluid router routes flavored fluid in the same direction. The flavored fluid may appeal to the taste buds of the patient undergoing the surgical procedure, and may include any of a variety of flavors, such as a fruit flavor or a mint flavor. In the case of a mist or air spray, scented air may be used to mask the smell of burnt or drilled tissue. The scent may function as an air freshener, even for operations outside of dental applications.
The fluids used for cooling a surgical site and/or removing tissue may further include an ionized solution, such as a biocompatible saline solution, and may further include fluids

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