Disposable thoracic drainage device connectable to an aspiration unit

Abstract: A disposable thoracic drainage device connectable to an aspiration unit, comprising a container body (1) internally forming at least one chamber for collecting the drainage liquid which is connected to an inlet (50) for connection to a patient and to a water-head suction adjustment valve (10). The water-head suction adjustment valve (10) has a first water head section (20) and a second water head section (28) which are side by side and mutually series-connected by a connecting duct (26).

Description: The present invention relates to a disposable thoracic drainage device connectable to an aspiration unit. It is known that drainage devices are already commercially available obtained by means of a body internally defining a plurality of regions or chambers which in practice delimit the region for collecting the drained liquid and a water seal valve which is meant to adjust the value of the suction generated for aspiration. In order to allow the presence of the water seal valve with a chosen value of the water head, the containers must be rather tall and therefore they are usually formed by bodies, substantially shaped like a flattened parallelepiped, which usually cause difficulties in correctly supporting the device, consequently requiring specifically provided supporting elements. Conventional solutions do not allow to rest the container on the ground, since its dimensions would make it particularly unstable and therefore a slight impact might cause it to tip, with the obvious consequent problems. EP-A-0 402 117 discloses a chest drainage device having a combination of elements as set forth in the pre-characterizing portion of the appended claim 1. The aim of the invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, by providing a disposable thoracic drainage device which can he connected to an aspiration unit and can have reduced dimensions although the adjustment water seal valve is provided inside it. Within the scope of this aim, a particular object of the invention is to provide a drainage device which is extremely compact and can be rested on the ground without serious risk of tipping even in case of accidental impact. Another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable device which is extremely practical and versatile and can accordingly easily adapt to the most disparate operating requirements. Another object of the present invention is to provide a disposable drainage device which can be easily obtained starting from commonly commercially available elements and materials and is also competitive from a merely economical point of view. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a disposable thoracic drainage device connectable to an aspiration unit, as defined in the appended claims. Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a disposable thoracic drainage device connectable to an aspiration unit, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the device according to the invention with the front wall removed; Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the device; Figure 3 is a rear elevation view of the device; Figure 4 is an elevation view of the device, showing in dashed lines the paths of the air through the water head sections; Figure 5 is a top plan view of the device. With reference to the above figures, the disposable thoracic drainage device connectable to an aspiration unit, according to the invention, comprises a container body which is generally designated by the reference numeral 1 and has a central body 2 which is shaped substantially like a parallelepiped and inside which there are partitions, generally designated by the reference numeral 3, which form a plurality of compartments for a chamber for collecting the drainage liquid. A valve body, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, is laterally adjacent to the central body 2, is also substantially shaped like a parallelepiped and forms in practice the region where the water-head suction adjustment valve is provided. The valve body and the central body rest on a footing 11 which is rather wide so as to give stability to the assembly. The main characteristic of the invention consists in that said water-head suction adjustment valve is substantially constituted by a first water head section and by a second water head section which are mutually side by side and are series-connected to each other by a connecting duct 26. In greater detail, the valve body 10 forms a first front portion 20 which is shaped by the valve body and is closed at the front by a plate-like element 36 which is preferably optically transparent and on which adjustment notches are provided. The portion 20 is connected, in an upward region, to a first water inlet 21 and is provided, in a downward region, with a first lower port 22 which connects it to a first connecting portion 23 which ends outside in an upward region and allows air to enter, as will become apparent hereinafter. The first front portion for forming the first water head section has, in an upward region, a first upper port 25 which, by means of a second rear connecting portion 24 that constitutes said connecting duct 26, is connected to a second lower port 27 which ends at the lower part of a second front portion 28 in order to form the second water head section which is connected, in an upward region, to a second water inlet 29. A second upper port 30 is also provided which, by means of a third connecting portion 31 located in a rear region in the valve body, is connected to a third lower port 32 which leads in an upward region into a separator 33 which is connected to a lower passage 34 which is connected by means of a riser duct 35 to an upper aspiration connector 40, which can be connected to the aspiration unit (A.U.), and to an opening 41 which connects it to the chambers formed by the central body. The central body is provided with an inlet 50 for connection to the patient and with an opening 51 with a pierceable plug for drawing the liquid drained for analysis, which collects in an upper channel 52 formed inside the central body. The above-described arrangement provides a first water head section 20 and a second water head section 28 which are arranged side by side and are in practice series-connected to each other by means of the connecting duct 26 formed in the rear part, which accordingly allows to provide a water head of sufficient height and therefore with an optimum degree of suction without however having the typical dimensions of the conventional water-head valve, which is continuous, entailing obvious increases in height. In the above-described solution, the provision of the water-head valve in a separate region constituted by the two portions, both of which have, in a downward region, a filtering element designated by the reference numeral 70, allows to provide considerably more compact dimensions and to form a region in which it is possible to provide the water head of the chosen height simply by introducing the corresponding amount of liquid, not necessarily a sterile liquid, being aided in doing so by the reference notches provided on the front closure plate of the container body. Sterile water is instead introduced in the separator 33 through the inlet 71 and acts as separator for the suction applied, through the riser duct 35, in the drainage chamber and can optionally be controlled by a negative pressure release valve, designated by the reference numeral 65. From the above description it is therefore evident that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects and in particular it is stressed that a disposable thoracic drainage device is provided which has an extremely compact configuration and can be used by resting it on the ground with considerable stability or can optionally also be hung by applying a bridge-like element generally designated by the reference numeral 80 in Figure 1. The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. All the details may also be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials employed, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: A disposable thoracic drainage device connectable to an aspiration unit, comprising a container body (1) resting on a footing (11) and which container body (1) internally forms at least one chamber for collecting drainage liquid which is connected to an inlet (50) for connection to a patient and connected to a water-head suction adjustment valve, said water-head suction adjustment valve having a first water head section (20) and a second water head section (28) which are side by side and series-connected to each other by a connecting duct (26), said first and second water head sections (20,28) resting upon and extending upwardly from said footing (11), characterized in that said first water head section (20) is connected, in an upward region, to a first water inlet (21) and, in a downward region, to a first lower port (22) connected to a portion (23) which ends outside in an upward region and is adapted to allow air to enter, said first water head section (20) having, in an upward region, a first upper port (25) which is connected, by way of said connecting duct (26), to a second lower port (27) which ends at the lower part of said second water head section (28) which is connected, in an upward region, to a second water inlet (29). The disposable thoracic drainage device according to claim 1, characterized in that said container body (1) is substantially shaped like a parallelepiped with a central body (2) which internally forms said chamber for collecting the drainage liquid, a valve body (10) shaped substantially like a parallelepiped being provided laterally adjacent to said central body (2) and accommodating said water-head suction adjustment valve. The disposable thoracic drainage device according to claim 2, characterized in that said footing (11) protrudes with respect to the bases of said valve body (10) and said central body (2). The disposable thoracic drainage device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said connecting duct (26) that connects said first (20) and second (28) water head sections is formed inside said valve body (10). The disposable thoracic drainage device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second upper port (30) is provided in the upward region of the second water head section (28) and is connected to a third connecting portion (31) with a third lower port (32) which leads into a separator (33). The disposable thoracic drainage device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first and second water head sections (20,28) are closed by a plate-like element which is at least partially optically transparent and on which reference notches are provided. The disposable thoracic drainage device according to one or more of the preceding claims when related to claim 5, characterized in that said separator (33) is connected, by way of a lower passage (34), to a riser duct (35) which is connected to an upper aspiration connection (40) which can be connected to an aspiration unit (AU) and to an opening for connection to said drainage liquid collection chamber. The disposable thoracic drainage device according to claim 2 or any of claim 3-7 when related to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises, in said central body (2), a negative pressure elimination valve (65). The disposable thoracic drainage device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a filtering element (70) in each one of said water head sections (20, 28).

Inventors: GIBERTONI LUCIO, GIBERTONI, LUCIO
Applicants: GIBERTONI LUCIO, GIBERTONI, LUCIO
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A61M1
IPC codes: A61M1