Suction irrigation device with a scraper

A device for irrigation and suction removal of blood, bodily fluids and debris during surgery. A hollow tube is provided which contains an interior bore such that a vacuum force may be applied therethrough. The hollow tube also contains a secondary channel such as to allow sufficient quantities of water to dislodge any debris that may clog the interior bore during use in surgical procedures. A pivoting scraper is provided for facilitating the traction of an opening or wound.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to a device for the irrigation and suction 
removal of bodily fluids and debris primarily during surgery. The device 
has the capability of providing a suction force to remove blood, bodily 
fluids and debris and of providing a source of water to prevent and 
dislodge any debris which may otherwise clog the device or connecting 
tube. A scraper means may also be provided to facilitate traction of an 
incision or wound. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It is a common medical practice during surgery to provide a suction force 
to a surgical incision so as to remove blood, bodily fluids and debris 
primarily during surgery. The procedure is generally accomplished by the 
use of a plastic tubular device attached to a suction source. The end of 
the device is placed near or at a surgical incision so as to remove the 
bodily fluids and debris from the area. 
In the use of the above-described device a problem develops during surgery 
in that the end of the tube becomes clogged with debris. Thus, valuable 
time and effort must be expended by the practitioner in order to clear the 
device of any debris clogged in the device. 
Further, incisions tend to close during surgery so that personnel involved 
in the surgery must also expend valuable time and effort during the 
surgery to facilitate traction of the incision or wound. 
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a convenient 
device which enables the practitioner to apply a suction force to a 
surgical site while also providing an irrigation stream which acts to 
irrigate the wound and to dislodge any clogging debris in the device or 
suction tube. 
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide the practitioner 
with an attachment to the device which allows the practitioner to have a 
convenient means for facilitating traction of an incision or wound. 
It is still yet a further object of this invention to provide the 
practitioner with a convenient light-weight hand-held device so as to 
allow the practitioner to provide a suction force, irrigation stream and 
scrapper means by use of the device quickly and efficiently during surgery 
without the loss of valuable time and effort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention deals with a device for the irrigation and suction 
removal of bodily fluids and debris primarily during surgical procedures. 
The device comprises an elongated substantially hollow tube sized to be 
comfortably held by the human hand. The tube has an upstream end 
configured to be attached to a suction hose and a downstream end. The 
upstream and down stream ends are connected by a longitudinally extending 
interior bore. 
A secondary channel is contained within the substantially hollow tube and 
is characterized as having an upstream end configured to attach a source 
of water and a downstream end configured to discharge the water within the 
longitudinally extending interior bore proximate to its downstream end. A 
scraper means located proximate the downstream end of the hollow tube may 
be provided for facilitating traction of an opening or wound. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention can be more readily appreciated when considering 
FIGS. 1 to 9. In FIG. 1 an elongated substantially hollow tube 1 is shown 
with an upstream end 2 and a downstream end 3. The upstream end 2 is 
configured to be attached to a vacuum hose. The upstream and downstream 
ends are connected by a longitudinally extending interior bore 4. 
A secondary channel 5 contained within the substantially hollow tube 1 is 
shown in FIG. 1 having an upstream end 6 configured to attach to a source 
of water and a downstream end 7 configured to discharge the water within 
the longitudinally extending interior bore 4 proximate its downstream end 
3. 
An embodiment of the present invention can be appreciated when examining 
FIG. 2 where the longitudinally extending bore 4 is sized so as to 
suctionally remove blood, bodily fluids and debris normally found during 
surgical procedures. 
FIG. 2 also displays an example of an embodiment of the present invention 
with a secondary channel 5 contained within the substantially hollow tube 
and extending longitudinally through a thickened bottom wall 8 of the 
hollow tube 1. Secondary channel 5 is sized to discharge water proximate 
the downstream end 3 of the interior bore 4 in sufficient quantities so as 
to dislodge expected debris that may otherwise clog the interior bore or 
the connecting tube during use in surgical procedures. 
Another example of an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in 
FIG. 3. The secondary channel 5 is configured with a valve means 9 so that 
the practitioner may control the flow of water within the secondary 
channel 5 as needed. Thus FIG. 4 displays the valve means 9 having an open 
position 10 and a closed position 11 so as to enable the practitioner to 
shut-off and turn-on the stream of water through the secondary channel 5. 
FIG. 3 further displays the invention possessing a plurality of openings 12 
radially extending through the side wall of the hollow tube 1 proximate 
its downstream end to facilitate the vacuum removal of surgical debris or 
fluid. 
The invention embodied in FIG. 3 is further characterized as possessing an 
opening 13, FIG. 5, in the side wall of the hollow tube 1 positioned such 
that a user of the device can conveniently use a finger to block or free 
the opening 13 in order to control the vacuum pressure being drawn at the 
downstream end 3. 
A preferred embodiment can be appreciated when considering FIG. 6. The 
invention as displayed in FIG. 6 is a convenient hand-held device 
constructed of a preferably transparent plastic material such as 
polypropylene or polyethylene. During surgery it is useful for the 
practitioner to be able to remove blood, bodily fluids and debris from a 
surgical site and to also be able to maintain and facilitate the opening 
of a surgical incision. The ability of a practitioner to carry out these 
functions are enhanced when the practitioner is provided with a device 
which is embodied in a plastic, light-weight device wherein all the 
functions can be carried out quickly and efficiently by hand during 
surgery. Thus, the invention as described in the preferred embodiment 
allows a practitioner to hold the device in hand while applying a vacuum 
to a surgical site. The practitioner may also place a human finger over 
the suction whole 13 which allows the maintenance of a vacuum pressure 
throughout the interior bore 4. Alternatively, the practitioner may remove 
the finger from the suction hole 13 to allow a stream of water to flow 
through the secondary channel 5 whenever it is necessary to dislodge 
debris clogged in the interior bore 4 or when the incision needs to be 
irrigated. 
Further, the practitioner has the immediate availability of a substantially 
planar extension scrapper means 14 located proximate the downstream end of 
the hollow tube 1 for facilitating traction of an opening or wound. The 
scraper means 14 as illustrated in the present embodiment of the invention 
is capable of pivoting about a universal joint 15 so as to allow the 
scraper to be parallel (FIG. 7) and perpendicular (FIG. 8) to the 
longitudinally extending interior bore 4. 
The preferred dimensions of the longitudinally extending interior bore 4 is 
approximately 1.0 cm in diameter so as to allow a sufficient suction force 
to remove blood, bodily fluids and debris found during surgical 
procedures. The preferred dimensions of the secondary channel is sized at 
approximately 0.3 cm in diameter. The preferred dimension of the opening 
13 is approximately 0.3 cm in diameter so as to allow a human finger to 
block and free the opening in order to control the vacuum pressure being 
drawn at the downstream end 3 of the longitudinally extending interior 
bore 4. To facilitate the vacuum removal of surgical debris a plurality of 
openings 12 are shown radially extending through the side wall of the 
hollow tube 1 where each opening preferably has a diameter of 
approximately 0.2 cm.