Liquid collection device and method

A liquid collection device for use in drawing liquid from an opening in a body of a person or an animal. The device includes a perforated container, and an outlet port. The perforated container defines a chamber shaped to collect liquid drawn into the chamber through perforations in the container. The outlet port enables liquid to be drawn from the chamber by a partial vacuum applied at the outlet port. The container is configured to receive wicking material that covers at least some of the perforations and is also configured and dimensioned for placement of the wicking material in, or over approximately an exposed breadth of, an opening in a person or an animal, so that upon said placement of the container with at least some of the perforations being covered by said wicking material, when a partial vacuum is applied at the outlet port, liquid can be drawn from said opening through the wicking material and into the chamber and from the chamber through the outlet port.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to collecting liquid and is particularly directed to drawing liquid away from openings in the body of a person or an animal, such as drawing blood away from a wound to the exposed surface portion of the body or from an opening made in the body to facilitate surgery.

Examples of apparatus for drawing liquid away from openings in the body of a person or an animal are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,636,643; 5,678,564 and 7,699,831.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a liquid collection device for use in drawing liquid from an opening in a body of a person or an animal, comprising: a perforated container defining a chamber shaped to collect liquid drawn into the chamber through perforations in the container; wherein the container includes an outlet port through which liquid can be drawn from the chamber by a partial vacuum applied at the outlet port; wherein the container is configured to receive wicking material that covers at least some of the perforations and is also configured and dimensioned for placement of the wicking material in, or over approximately an exposed breadth of, an opening in a person or an animal, so that upon said placement of the container with at least some of the perforations being covered by said wicking material, when a partial vacuum is applied at the outlet port, liquid can be drawn from said opening through the wicking material and into the chamber and from the chamber through the outlet port.

The invention also provides a method of drawing liquid from an opening in a body of a person or an animal, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a liquid collection that comprises: a perforated container defining a chamber shaped to collect liquid drawn into the chamber through perforations in the container; wherein the container includes an outlet port through which liquid can be drawn from the chamber by a partial vacuum applied at the outlet port; wherein the container is configured to receive wicking material that covers at least some of the perforations and is also configured and dimensioned for placement of the wicking material in, or over approximately an exposed breadth of, an opening in a person or an animal, so that upon said placement of the container with at least some of the perforations being covered by said wicking material, when a partial vacuum is applied at the outlet port, liquid can be drawn from said opening through the wicking material and into the chamber and from the chamber through the outlet port;

(b) covering at least some of the perforations with wicking material;

(c) so placing the container in, or over approximately an exposed breadth of, an opening in a body of a person or an animal that the wicking material is disposed in, or over approximately the exposed breadth of the opening; and

(d) applying a partial vacuum at the outlet port to cause liquid to be drawn from the opening through the wicking material and into the chamber and from the chamber through the outlet port.

Thus, the invention provides a liquid collection device and method that both facilitates the use of wicking material to collect liquid from artificial cavities in the body of a person or an animal, and enables transportation of the collected liquid from the device.

Additional features of the invention are described with reference to the detailed description.

These figures are not drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 3, one embodiment of a liquid collection device10according to the invention is configured and dimensioned for placement of wicking material in an opening in a person or an animal.

The liquid collection device10includes a perforated container12defining a chamber14shaped to collect liquid drawn into the chamber14through perforations16in the container12.

The container12can be of various shapes and sizes, as shown inFIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C. In other examples (not shown), the container12may have dimensions similar to a thimble. Other examples may be the size of a finger, a fist, or even larger. The container can be round, flat, oblong, square, elongated or not.

The container12includes an outlet port18through which liquid can be drawn from the chamber14by a partial vacuum applied at the outlet port18when the chamber14is otherwise sealed. Tubing19can be connected to the outlet port18to facilitate provision of a partial vacuum at the outlet port18and transportation of the fluid from the chamber14.

The container12is configured to receive wicking material (not shown) that covers at least some of the perforations16and is also configured and dimensioned for placement in an opening in a person or an animal so that upon said placement of the container12, when a partial vacuum is applied at the outlet port18, liquid can be drawn from the opening through the wicking material and the perforations16and into the chamber14and from the chamber14through the outlet port18. Examples of useful wicking material include paper, gauze, or other natural or synthetic material having the ability to wick liquid.

In the embodiment described with reference toFIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, it is preferable that the perforations16are arrayed around the container12.

When the container12is immersed in a wound, the liquid in the opening and the walls of the wound create a seal around the container12, and thereby enhance the partial vacuum within the container12.

Referring toFIGS. 2A, 2B and 3, another embodiment of a liquid collection device20according to the invention is configured and dimensioned for placement of wicking material over approximately the exposed breadth of an opening in a person or an animal.

The liquid collection device20includes a perforated container22defining a chamber14shaped to collect liquid drawn into the chamber14through perforations26in the container22. The container22includes an outlet port28through which liquid can be drawn from the chamber14by a partial vacuum applied at the outlet port28. Tubing29can be connected to the outlet port28to facilitate provision of a partial vacuum at the outlet port28and transportation of the fluid from the chamber14.

The container22is configured to receive wicking material (not shown) that covers at least some of the perforations26and is also configured and dimensioned for disposing wicking material over approximately an exposed breadth of an opening in a person or an animal so that when the wicking material is so disposed by placement of the container22, and a partial vacuum is applied at the outlet port28, liquid can be drawn from the opening through the wicking material and the perforations26and into the chamber14and from the chamber14through the outlet port28.

In this embodiment, it is preferable that the perforations26are arrayed on only a side of the container22that is configured to receive the wicking material.

In this embodiment, the container22has a flexible shell that can be shaped to fit the contours of the body of the person or animal and thereby enhance sealing of the container22to such body.

In both of the above described embodiments, it is preferable that the container has a flattened, but not flat, lateral profile, and that the container is hollow, as shown inFIG. 3, with there being only such interior structural supports as are necessary to keep the container from collapsing and/or such interior features as are necessary to accommodate manufacturing of the container. It is preferred that the container be flat enough to minimize the profile The container needs only enough height as to provide a chamber that can collect fluid and accommodate an outlet port that can be connected to tubing. In some examples, such height is in the range of about 0.5 cm to 1.0 cm. In other embodiments, the container has some other profile, such as elliptical.

To perform the method of drawing liquid from an opening in a body of a person or an animal by using a liquid collection device10,20, as described above at least some of the perforations16,26are covered with wicking material; the container12,22is so placed in, or over approximately an exposed breadth of, an opening in a body of a person or an animal that the wicking material is disposed in, or over approximately the exposed breadth of the, opening; and a partial vacuum is applied at the outlet port18,28so that liquid is drawn from the opening through the wicking material and the perforations16,26and into the chamber14, and from the chamber14through the outlet port18,28.

The liquid collecting device10,20can be used to collect and transport liquids, such as blood or exudate or irrigation fluid from wounds in the body of a person or an animal. The device10can be used to dispose the wicking material inside of deeper openings in the body, such as an abscess, or the bowels during a bowel surgery. For example, during an emergency laparotomy where blood and perhaps ruptured bowel with bowel contents are in the abdominal cavity, make viewing of the surgical site difficult, the use of the liquid collection device10will reduce the need for large numbers of sponges. If only blood is present in the wound (such as when there is a ruptured spleen or vessel), the blood can be collected by the liquid collection device20for re-transfusion back to the patient.

The device20can be used to dispose the wicking material over an exposed breadth of wounds to the outer surface of the body that are not deep.

The perforations16,26in the container12,22are naturally sealed when the container12,22is placed against the body. The container22with the wicking material covering the perforations26in the container22of the liquid collection device20can be placed so that the wicking material is disposed over the exposed breadth of a wound at the surface of the body and held in place by such items as tape, bandages, a sock, a sleeve or a belt, thereby making dressing changes much easier, whereby such changes can then be done more frequently and thereby reduce the need for expensive skilled nursing services.

The liquid collection device20also is useful for removing unwanted liquid from an exposed portion of a body of a person or an animal when container22is configured and dimensioned for disposing wicking material over approximately the exposed breadth of a portion of the person or animal where unwanted liquid has accumulated, such as the eyes or under the breasts.

The container12,22of the liquid collection device10,20does not need to be pre-wetted with a liquid, such as Glycerin; the container12,22does not have to be sealed, such as with Vaseline; the container12,22does not have to have a hydrophilic membrane in contact with the body; and the container12,22does not require that air not be able to pass through it in order for the device10,20to function.

Other embodiments (not shown) of the liquid collection device of the invention can be used to collect fluid from a person's mouth during a dental procedure, or to collect unwanted liquid from the eyes of a person or animal.

The benefits specifically stated herein do not necessarily apply to every conceivable embodiment of the present invention. Further, such stated benefits of the present invention are only examples and should not be construed as the only benefits of the present invention.

While the above description contains many specificities, these specificities are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the present invention, but rather as examples of the preferred embodiments described herein. Other variations are possible and the scope of the present invention should be determined not by the embodiments described herein but rather by the claims and their legal equivalents.