Surgery – Swab including handle with absorbent material at end thereof
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-29
2003-02-04
Doerrler, William C. (Department: 3744)
Surgery
Swab including handle with absorbent material at end thereof
C604S015000, C604S016000, C604S017000, C604S018000, C206S209000, C206S210000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06514224
ABSTRACT:
The invention concerns a device as set forth in the classifying portion of claim
1
.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
Numerous inflammations in the human or animal urogenital tract are to be attributed to a large number of widely varying germs or microbes. Thus for example the etiology of Fallopian tube inflammation (salpingitis) is polymicrobial. Aerobic and anaerobic germs, mycoplasmas and chlamydiae can be identified in that respect. That identification can be achieved on the one hand from the Douglas fluid surrounding the Fallopian tubes or by smears from the Fallopian tubes. Particularly for intracellularly growing chlamydiae proof based on cell-rich examination material has proven to be an indispensable prerequisite as the Douglas fluid has a low cell content and in addition has an anti-microbial effect. For that reason the smear is also to be preferred for other bacteria identification procedures.
A number of devices of the general kind indicated is known for taking biological or cytological smears of that kind. Such devices are generally usable a plurality of times insofar as a fresh swab is fixed on the swab carrier for each new smear. To take a smear on the Fallopian tube the devices are generally moved to the Fallopian tube through a trocar. For smears at other locations which are more readily accessible in the urogenital tract the use of a trocar however may possibly be unnecessary.
Thus for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,952 discloses such a device in which the two carrier portions are connected together by way of a positively locking connection which locks in the longitudinal direction of the swab carrier. Locking transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the swab carrier is effected by way of a tubular coupling portion which is fitted over the two carrier portions.
The known devices however suffer from a large number of disadvantages. Thus on the one hand they are distinguished by virtue of being of a relatively complicated structure which is susceptible to trouble. Thus for example securely and releasably fixing the swabs on the swab carrier can be achieved, not only having regard to the tightly constricted spatial conditions, only with a very high degree of structural complication and expenditure which on the one hand has an adverse effect on the manufacturing costs of the individual components.
In addition, this design configuration also involves the disadvantage that the swab has to be released from the swab carrier after the smear has been taken. That operation of releasing the swab from the swab carrier is generally possible however only by means of suitable aids or tools, the use of which however under some circumstances can entail contamination of the swab. Contamination of that kind however, even in a very small amount, can seriously falsify the examination result.
The swab with the smear generally has to be initially stored in a transportation fluid for subsequent evaluation in the laboratory. Depending on the respective duration of the period of time between the operation of taking the sample and evaluation thereof, even very slight contamination can result in damage to or impairment of the smear on the swab or however also the transportation fluid and can thus result in falsification of the examination result.
A further disadvantage lies in the relatively expensive and complicated cleaning and sterilization of the multiply re-usable components of the known devices. Contamination which is not removed, precisely at locations which involve difficulties of access within the mechanism of the devices and the thermally or chemically induced component stresses which occur in the cleaning and sterilization procedure can also have an adverse effect on the susceptibility to trouble of the devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is therefore that of providing a device of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, which is simple and inexpensive to produce and which does not suffer from the above-indicated disadvantages or which involves them only to a lesser degree and which in particular ensures examination results which are as unfalsified as possible.
Based on a device as set forth in the classifying portion of claim
1
, that object is attained by the features recited in the characterizing portion of claim
1
.
The invention entails the technical teaching that a device which is particularly simple and inexpensive to produce and which is reliable in operation and which ensures examination results which are as unfalsified as possible is achieved if the swab carrier comprises at least a distal carrier portion and a tubular proximal carrier portion, which are releasably connected together by way of a coupling portion which is introduced into the proximal carrier portion and which to release the connection between the two carrier portions is pulled in the proximal direction out of its seat in the distal carrier portion.
In that arrangement the coupling portion extends in a distal direction into a first axial opening at the proximal end of the distal carrier portion and locks the carrier portions relative to each in their longitudinal direction in such a way that the connection thereof is releasable by pulling the distal end of the coupling portion in the proximal direction out of the first axial opening. In that arrangement the coupling portion still extends in the proximal direction through the actuating grip so that it can be gripped at its proximal end and can be pulled in the proximal direction out of its seat in the distal carrier portion.
It will be appreciated that the movement of pulling the coupling portion out in the proximal direction does not have to involve a pure translatory movement. It is likewise possible for a translatory movement to be combined with a rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of the coupling portion, for that purpose. That may be desired or even necessary in particular when the coupling portion is locked in position in positively locking relationship.
By virtue of the connection between the carrier portions being simple to release, the distal carrier portion with the swab disposed thereon can be detached, after the smear has been taken, without that involving touching those regions which are to be separated from each other, possibly by means of special tools or the like, which could result in contamination. The distal carrier portion which is to be removed, with the swab carrying the smear, only has to be positioned over or introduced into the opening of the transportation vessel filled with the transportation fluid. The coupling portion is then gripped at its proximal end and pulled relative to the swap carrier in the proximal direction until it is released from its seat in the first opening in the distal carrier portion. In that way the distal carrier portion is released from the proximal carrier portion and can slide into the transportation vessel filled with transportation fluid, without coming into contact with other objects when that happens.
The operation of removing the distal carrier portion with the swab can be carried out quickly and in an uncomplicated fashion in no time at all. The removal operation can be carried out in any longitudinal position of the swab carrier. Preferably however it is effected in the first longitudinal position of the swab carrier as the swab with the smear is then disposed in the interior of the casing tube and is thus substantially protected from unintended contamination.
Preferably that longitudinal position is characterized by a resistance which is perceptible for the operator when actuating the displacement device. Further preferably that resistance is afforded by an end abutment which is provided in the displacement device or between the casing tube and the swab carrier and beyond which no further actuation of the displacement device is possible.
The swab carrier is preferably in the form of a one-trip or disposable portion. That ensures that the device is of a particularly simple structure which is inexpensive to produce and which ope
Doerrler William C.
Grant Stephen L.
Hahn Loeser + Parks LLP
Merete Management GmbH
Zec Filip
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