Devices for draining biological fluids

Details Devices for draining biological fluids Devices for draining biological fluids

1999-07-09

2001-07-17

Seidel, Richard K. (Department: 3763)

Surgery

Means for introducing or removing material from body for...

Treating material introduced into or removed from body...

C251S004000, C251S010000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06261269

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to devices for draining biological fluids.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Devices of this type are well known in the prior art. More particularly, French Patent Application No. 9716020 describes an external ventricular draining device comprising a catheter, one end of which is placed in the zone to be drained and the other end of which is connected to a drainage bag.
This device additionally comprises a pressure sensor placed on the catheter near its end situated towards the patient's head and an external pinch valve on this catheter. An electronically controlled power supply is provided in order to open the valve when the pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold. The pinch valve is of course re-usable, whereas the catheter is replaced after each use.
One problem encountered with this type of device is the difficulty in positioning the catheter in the pinch valve. Indeed, this positioning has to be done with very great care if the device is to function properly.
Furthermore, the catheter used must be compatible with the valve. In particular, its diameter and the flexibility of the material from which it is made must be appropriate. An error in the choice of catheter used can lead to malfunction of the device.
Finally, pinch valves, while being robust devices, nevertheless require certain precautions to be taken during their use and their storage. Thus, it is preferable for these valves, and in particular their pinching zone, to be protected by a housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks.
More particularly, the invention aims to provide devices which can be used for draining biological fluids with the aid of a catheter and means for pinching this catheter to ensure that the latter is perfectly adapted to the pinching means. The invention also aims to provide means permitting suitable engagement of the catheter in these pinching means. The invention further aims to provide means for draining biological fluid whose pinching means are protected.
To this end, the subject of the invention in the first instance is a device for draining biological fluids, characterized in that it comprises a housing with walls and a pinch valve comprising pinching means, the said valve being mounted in the housing, away from the said walls, the said housing including an opening arranged opposite the pinching means, means also being provided to engage a catheter section of a drainage line in the said pinching means via the said opening.
The subject of the invention is also a device for draining biological fluids, characterized in that it comprises a catheter section of a drainage line and a member for supporting the catheter, the said catheter section passing into and emerging from the said support member at two points and forming a loop between the said two points, the said support for the catheter having a cut-away leaving a part of the said loop free in order to allow it to be pinched by pinching means.
It will be appreciated that the two devices which have just been described are designed to cooperate, even though they are not physically joined until the time of use. In particular, the catheter support is of such a shape that it can be introduced into the opening in the housing in such a way as to bring that part of the catheter left free by the cut away into the pinching means of the valve mounted inside this housing.
The invention makes it possible to overcome the drawbacks which were mentioned above. This is because, in the first instance, the catheter support can be guided upon its entry into the housing by any suitable means in such a way that the free part of the loop of the tube engages perfectly in the pinching means of the valve.
Furthermore, with the valve being placed in the housing away from the walls of the latter, the catheter section of the drainage line must necessarily be brought into the pinching means via the opening in the housing. Thus, by giving this opening suitable dimensions, it is possible to ensure that the catheter cannot be actually put into position manually.
In these circumstances it is also certain that a catheter having the appropriate characteristics will be used. It suffices to make the catheter section used and its support and introduction member inseparable.
Finally, the pinch valve and in particular its pinching means are protected by the housing.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the said catheter support comprises elastic means for immobilizing it in relation to the said pinching means.
These elastic means can in particular cooperate with that wall of the housing in which its opening is formed.
Again in one particular embodiment, the said catheter support forms a flat cassette designed to be introduced into a slot in the said pinching means.
In this case, the aforementioned opening formed in the housing is therefore in the shape of a slot, which shape corresponds to the cross section of the cassette.
More particularly, the said cassette can be T-shaped, the said catheter passing into and emerging from the cassette at the ends of the horizontal bar of the T, and the said loop being formed in the vertical branch of the T.
In this case, the devices can be designed in such a way that, during their use, only the horizontal bar of the T of the cassette protrudes from the slot in the housing, this bar thereby forming a grip element for removing the cassette from the slot.
It is also possible to provide that the said loop forms a catheter part separate from an inlet part and from an outlet part, which is joined in the said catheter support to the said inlet and outlet parts.
It is thus possible for the loop of the catheter to be made of a material particularly suited to its use in a pinch valve, the rest of the catheter having different characteristics.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3826256 (1974-07-01), Smith
patent: 5011468 (1991-04-01), Lundquist et al.
patent: 5083741 (1992-01-01), Sancoff
patent: 5116324 (1992-05-01), Brierley et al.
patent: 5346470 (1994-09-01), Hobbs et al.
patent: 5628731 (1997-05-01), Dodge et al.
patent: 5730731 (1998-03-01), Mollenauer et al.
patent: 6007516 (1999-12-01), Burbank et al.

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