DEVICE FOR IRRIGATING OR WASHING THE NASAL CAVITIES AND THE RHINOPHARYNX

Abstract: Device (1) for irrigating or washing the nasal cavities and the rhinopharynx which comprises a substantially bell-shaped nozzle (2) which is adapted to be sealingly pressed to the nasal vestibule of one of the nasal cavities of the user, who places his head slightly leaned forwards or sideways, and that comprises axially at least a hole for the outflow of the solution that communicates with an end of the conduction tube (5) which at the other end has means (6) for connection to a bag (7) or the like for supplying, advantageously by gravity, the solution to be sprinkled, the solution and the washing product flowing along a nasal cavity and through the rhinopharynx into the contralateral nasal cavity and flowing outside through the vestibule of the contralateral nasal cavity.

Description: DEVICE FOR IRRIGATING OR WASHING THE NASAL CAVITIES AND THE RHINOPHARYNX Technical Field The present invention relates to a device for irrigating or washing the nasal cavities and the rhinopharynx. Background Art The nasal cavities have the function of humidifying, purifying and warming the inhaled air and of dehumidifying and cooling the exhaled air. This system can suffer damages and thus become inefficacious as a consequence of the development of a pathology that can cause nasal respiratory difficulty because of inflammation of the nasal mucosa, stagnation of mucous or ucopurulent secretions, dust, allergens. In these circumstances the removal of the secretions which can be present inside the nasal cavities and also a stimulation of the nasal mucosa by means of a nasal washing, are necessary. The substances that can be currently introduced into the nasal cavities can be either in form of drops or in nebulized form; in the first case it is necessary to introduce the solution with the head leaned backwards while the removal of the washing product occurs by forced expiration through the nasal cavities, or by deglutition (the head of the subject has to be leaned backwards in order to avoid that during the introduction the solution comes out by infiltrating between the nasal vestibule and the opening of the container of the solution); whereas in the second case the nebulization occurs with spray bottles that often use propellents that can be irritating for the nasal mucosa. In the typologies of the mentioned interventions, the amount of substance that can be introduced into the nasal cavities is always very small. The only equipments that allow to carry out an efficacious washing of the nasal cavities and of the rhinopharynx with great amounts of solution are of thermal or ambulatory type and therefore rather expensive; such equipments require, for their use, qualified personnel and involve from time to time the sterilization of some components. Other components, not intended to be cleaned after each use, yet are subject to be in contact and to become dirty with the substances removed from the washing operations. The user, or the authorized personnel, is then subjected, during the washing operation, to dirty the fingers that grip the delivery nozzle of the solution. In practice no equipment for domestic use exists on the market that allow to sprinkle remarkable amounts of liquids into the nasal cavities and the rhinopharynx in an easy, simple, inexpensive and hygienic manner and without any risk due to a wrong use. Disclosure of the Invention The aim of the present invention is to obviate the mentioned drawbacks of conventional devices, by providing a device for irrigating or washing the nasal cavities and the rhinopharynx that allows to carry out such operations in a simple and hygienic way. Within the scope of this aim, another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is structurally simple, easy to be manufactured, safe in use, efficacious in operation, and also having a relatively low cost. This aim and these objects are achieved by the present device for irrigating or washing the nasal cavities and the rhinopharynx which comprises a substantially bell-shaped nozzle which is adapted to be sealingly pressed to the nasal vestibule of one of the nasal cavities of the user, who places his head slightly leaned forwards or sideways, and that comprises axially at least a hole for the outflow of the solution that communicates with an end of the conduction tube which at the other end has means for connection to a bag or the like for supplying, advantageously by gravity, the solution to be sprinkled, the solution and the washing product flowing along a nasal cavity and through the rhinopharynx into the contralateral nasal cavity and flowing outside through the vestibule of the contralateral nasal cavity. Brief Description of the Drawings Further characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a device for irrigating or washing the nasal cavities and the rhinopharynx according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a f ront schemat i c vi ew o f a dev ice f o r i rr i gat i ng o r wa s h i ng t he na s a l c avi t i e s and t he rhinopharynx according to the invention ; figure 2a is a cross-sectional front elevation view of a nozzle of the device of figure 1, according to a first embodiment thereof; figure 2b is a bottom plan view of the nozzle of figure 2a; figure 2c is a top plan view of the nozzle of figure 2a; figure 2d is a cross-sectional end elevational view of the nozzle of figure 2a; figure 3a is a cross-sectional front elevation view of a nozzle of the device of figure 1, according to another embodiment thereof; figure 3b is a bottom plan view of the nozzle of figure 3a; figure 3c is a top plan view of the nozzle of figure 3a; figure 3d is a cross-sectional end elevational view of the nozzle of figure 3a; figure 4 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention in condition of use; figure 5 is a schematic top view of the path of the washing solution into the nasal cavities; figure 6 is a schematic view of a coupling of the device to the vestibule of a nasal cavity. Ways of carrying out the Invention With reference to the above figures, the device for irrigating or washing the nasal cavities and the rhinopharynx according to the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 1. The device 1 comprises a substantially bell-shaped nozzle 2 that is adapted to be sealingly pressed to the nasal vestibule V of one of the nasal cavities CN of the user; the particular shape allows to seal vestibules of various typologies, by taking advantage of the deformability both of the vestibule and of the bell; it is expected to manufacture the bell in many sizes if necessary. The bell-shaped nozzle 2 is manufactured by moulding materials like plastics or rubber and in the embodiment of figures 2a-2d it is hollow and the section of the walls can vary in order to provide the required softness and stiffness: the nozzle 2 has a solid section in the other prospected embodiment of figures 3a-3d. The nozzle 2, in the different embodiments, has the edge 3 slightly cone-shaped and leaned towards the outside and is slightly squeezed so as to have a substantially elliptical section according to the planes orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle; the edge 3 is adapted to prevent the possible outflow of the solution along the tube of conduction and to avoid that the user dirties his fingers with the solution and the substances removed by the washing. The nozzle 2 has at least a hole 4 for the outflow of the liquid: in the preferred embodiments illustrated in the figures the holes are three in number, 4a, 4b, 4c, have slightly diverging streams and are provided on the plane of major symmetry of the nozzle; in such a way the three meatus of the nasal cavities are sprinkled in the best manner. The holes 4 of the nozzle communicate with a tubular joint 4d to couple with an end of a conduction tube 5, said tube, at the other end, has means 6 for connection to a bag 7 or the like for supplying, advantageously by gravity, the solution to be sprinkled. In the particular case illustrated in figure 1 the connection means consist of a direct clamp of the tube to the bag, but optionally the connection can occur by means of perforating point, screw or bayonet coupling or the like. Conveniently, the bag 7 is flexible and provided with an eyelet 8, in order to be clamped, for instance with a suction-cup, in a position lifted with respect to the head of the user. The bag 7 can be filled with solutions of any kind which are simply detergent, slightly disinfectant or even therapeutic. The device 1 is of a disposable type and is contained in a sterile packaging: conveniently, nozzle, tube and bag form a single body and the bag contains already the solution to be sprinkled in a sterile confection; in this latter case the nozzle 2 can have a seal such as a tear-off sealing plug 9, that is removed immediately before the use; alternatively the nozzle is inserted into a removable protecting cap before the use. The operation of the device according to the invention is as follows: the user, possibly after having warmed the content of the bag 7 up to about 37°C (for instance by immersion in hot water), fixes the bag 7 in lifted position and places his head slightly leaned forwards or sideways on a collecting basin 10 that can be a wash-basin or the like (position illustrated in figure 4): once the plug 9 is removed, after having strangled the tube in order to avoid undue outflow of the solution, the user sealingly presses the bell-shaped nozzle 2 to the vestibule VI of a nasal cavity CNl; by releasing the strangling of the tube the solution and the product of the washing flow along the nasal cavity CNl, go through the rhinopharynx to flow into the controlateral nasal cavity CN2 and flow outside through the vestibule of the controlateral nasal cavity V2 (see arrows in figure 5). The shape and the orientation of the holes 4 of the nozzle cause a fan-wise propagation of the solution inside the nasal cavities in the high, middle and low areas. The pressure of washing can be lowered and is adjustable, together with the flow of the solution, by simply raising or lowering the bag with respect to the height at which the user's nose is, therefore the possibility that detrimental overpressures may occur to the mucous membranes during the use does not exist. In this way the device according to the invention has achieved the intended aims. The device according to the invention is susceptible to many modifications and variations all of which are included in the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover all the details are replaceable by other technically equivalent details. In practice the materials used, as well as the shapes and sizes, can be any without abandoning the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Device for irrigating or washing the nasal cavities and the rhinopharynx which comprises a substantially bell- shaped nozzle which is adapted to be sealingly pressed to the nasal vestibule of one of the nasal cavities of the user, who places his head slightly leaned forwards or sideways, and that comprises axially at least a hole for the outflow of the solution that communicates with an end of the conduction tube which at the other end has means for connection to a bag or the like for supplying, advantageously by gravity, the solution to be sprinkled, the solution and the washing product flowing along a nasal cavity and through the rhinopharynx into the contralateral nasal cavity and flowing outside through the vestibule of the contralateral nasal cavity. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said bell-shaped nozzle is slightly squeezed so that to have a substantially elliptical section according to the planes orthogonal to the tube. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said holes of outlet of the liquid are three in number and are provided on the plane of major symmetry of the nozzle. 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is of the disposable type and is contained in a sterile packaging. 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said bell-shaped nozzle has the edge slightly cone-shaped leaned towards the outside, and adapted to prevent the possible downflow of the solution along the conduction tube. 6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said nozzle, said tube and said bag are monolithic and that said bag contains the solution to be sprinkled. 7. Device according to claim 1 and alternatively to claim 6, characterized in that said nozzle, said tube, and said bag are separated and are connected only at the moment of use and that said bag contains the solution to be sprinkled. 8. Device according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that it is made of plastics for medical use and is adapted to be warmed, before use, at a temperature of about 37°C. 9. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure of washing can be lowered and is adjustable by simply raising or lowering the bag with respect to the height at which the nose of the user is.

Inventors: MEZZOLI GIORGIO, MEZZOLI, GIORGIO
Applicants: MEZZOLI GIORGIO, MEZZOLI, GIORGIO
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A61H35
IPC codes: A61H35