Abstract:
A bronchotracheal access valve for a bronchoaspiration apparatus. The valve is characterized in that the rotation of a second member in a given direction with respect to a first member moves the valve from a configuration in which a conduit communicates hydraulically with a sleeve, to a configuration in which the conduit communicates hydraulically with a flush conduit via a duct and a channel to flush an end portion of a catheter.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a U.S. national stage application of International Application No. PCT/EP2006/005623 filed Jun. 12, 2006, which designates the United States of America, and claims priority to Italian application number B02005A000404 filed Jun. 15, 2005, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a bronchotracheal access valve for a bronchoaspiration apparatus. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    As is known, a bronchoaspiration apparatus, connectable to a ventilation circuit, comprises:
       a vacuum generating and regulating device;   a catheter body comprising a transparent sleeve and a catheter; and   a bronchotracheal access valve connected mechanically to a connecting member for connection to a patient&#39;s body.       
 
         [0007]    A bronchoaspiration apparatus must ensure complete isolation of the suction catheter from the environment, to prevent contamination of the patient by the environment and vice versa, i.e. contamination of the environment by the patient. 
         [0008]    In operation, after a first suction stage, the end portion of the catheter is normally flushed by injecting sterilized water or a saline solution through a passage provided for that purpose. 
         [0009]    The flushing operation is potentially hazardous to the patient, particularly in the case of babies. That is, the operator may inadvertently inject the flush fluid without activating the flush fluid suction means; in which case, the flush fluid would flow directly into the patient&#39;s trachea, thus resulting in obvious damage, which is particularly serious in the treatment of babies. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    It is therefore a main object of the present invention to provide a bronchotracheal access valve (for a bronchoaspiration apparatus) designed to only permit flushing of the end of the catheter in given patient safety conditions. Consequently, any inadvertent action possibly resulting in flush fluid being injected into the patient&#39;s trachea is prevented, even if the bronchotracheal access valve is in the open position. 
         [0011]    It is therefore a main object of the present invention to provide a bronchotracheal access valve designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which is intrinsically safe. 
         [0012]    According to the present invention, there is provided a bronchotracheal access valve for a bronchoaspiration apparatus, as claimed in the accompanying Claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a three-dimensional assembly drawing of a bronchoaspiration apparatus; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded three-dimensional assembly drawing of the  FIG. 1  bronchoaspiration apparatus; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows an enlarged three-dimensional view of a bronchotracheal access valve in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and forming part of the  FIG. 1 and 2  bronchoaspiration apparatus; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of the  FIG. 3  bronchotracheal access valve; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows a plan view of a first configuration of  FIGS. 3 and 4  bronchotracheal access valve; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  shows a plan view of a second configuration of  FIGS. 3 and 4  bronchotracheal access valve; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  shows an exploded view of the first configuration of the bronchotracheal access valve in  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  shows an exploded view of the second configuration of the bronchotracheal access valve in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Number  10  in  FIG. 1  indicates as a whole a bronchoaspiration apparatus connectable to a ventilation circuit (not shown). 
         [0023]    Apparatus  10  comprises a vacuum control valve  11  connected mechanically to a catheter body  12 . 
         [0024]    Apparatus  10  also comprises a bronchotracheal access valve  13  representing the innovative part of apparatus  10  (see below). 
         [0025]    A connecting member  14  completes apparatus  10 . 
         [0026]    More specifically, connecting member  14  comprises a conduit  14   a  for connection to a patient (not shown); a conduit  14   b  for connection to bronchotracheal access valve  13 ; and a conduit  14   c  for connecting apparatus  10  to a ventilation circuit (not shown). 
         [0027]    In the following description, only the details necessary for a clear understanding of the present invention will be described in detail, but those of skill in the art will appreciate that the present invention encompasses variants not specifically discussed in detail herein. 
         [0028]    Vacuum control valve  11  and connecting member  14  are known. Therefore, suffice it to say that vacuum control valve  11  comprises a cover  11   a  marked with an arrow  11   b  (indicated in the closed position in  FIG. 1 ). When necessary, the operator applies finger pressure on cover  11   a  and rotates it to set arrow  11   b  to a vacuum source (not shown) to aspirate bronchial mucus. Only with arrow  11   b  set to this position, can secretion be aspirated; in any other position of arrow  11   b , aspiration is prevented. 
         [0029]    As shown in detail in  FIG. 2 , catheter body  12  comprises a transparent sleeve  15  made of easily deformable, tear-proof plastic material, and which protects a catheter  16  from contamination to and from an external environment. In known manner, catheter  16  comprises a number of depth marks  17  to enable the user to monitor insertion of suction catheter  16  (of minimum 5 Ch size) inside the tracheal/tracheostomic tube. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , between catheter body  12  and bronchotracheal access valve  13  are inserted a fitting  18  for guiding catheter  16 , and a bushing  19  for securing transparent sleeve  15  to fitting  18 . 
         [0031]    As stated, the innovative part is defined by bronchotracheal access valve  13 , which is shown in detail in the exploded views in  FIGS. 2 ,  7  and  8 . 
         [0032]    All the component parts of bronchotracheal access valve  13  are made of transparent plastic material. 
         [0033]    With reference to the accompanying drawings, bronchotracheal access valve  13  comprises a substantially disk-shaped first member  20 , and a substantially cup-shaped second member  21  ( FIGS. 2 ,  7  and  8 ). 
         [0034]    Second member  21  in turn comprises a cup-shaped main body  22 , from a surface  22   a  ( FIG. 4 ) from which projects a through conduit  23 , for passage of catheter  16 . The through conduit  23  is fixed, in use, to fitting  18  ( FIG. 1 ). A flush conduit  24  projects also from the surface  22   a . Conduits  23 ,  24  are advantageously, though not necessarily, formed in one piece with main body  22 . 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  7  and  8 , a flush tube  25  is inserted inside conduit  24 , and has a cap  26  connected to it by a tie  27 . 
         [0036]    As shown particularly in  FIG. 7 , main body  22  has 25 three weight-reducing holes  28  located 120° apart, and at each of which a respective tab  29  is formed by conveniently cutting an edge  22   b  of main body  22 . 
         [0037]    The function of the three tabs  29  is explained below. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 , a channel  30  is integrated in the inner wall of conduit  23 , originates at a point PI at the bottom of conduit  23 , and terminates at a point P 2  ( FIGS. 3 ,  4 ). 
         [0039]    The functions of channel  30  are explained below, in the section dealing with the operation of bronchotracheal access valve  13 . 
         [0040]    A surface  22   c  of main body  22  has a locating pin  31  ( FIG. 2 ) which fits inside a locating hole  32  formed in the centre of first member  20  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ). 
         [0041]    The inner surface of edge  22   b  has a pin  33 , which, in use, engages a guide duct  34  ( FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7  and  8 ) formed on an edge  20   a  of first member  20 , for the reasons explained in detail below. 
         [0042]    For the time being, suffice it to say that pin  33  and guide duct  34  define a stop device. 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  7  and  8 , a through sleeve  35  projects from a surface  20   b  of first member  20 , and is connected, in use, to conduit  14   b  of connecting member  14 . 
         [0044]    In addition to locating hole  32  and guide duct  34 , a surface  20   c  of first member  20  ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ) also comprises a substantially semicircular duct  36 . 
         [0045]    Surface  20   c  also comprises a number of ducts  37  for housing an elastomer seal  38 . 
         [0046]    Seal  38  obviously provides for hydraulically sealing duct  36  from the mouth of sleeve  35 . 
         [0047]    That is, seal  38 , as will be seen, prevents the flush fluid from accidentally flowing from duct  36  to the mouth of sleeve  35 . 
         [0048]    During assembly, first member  20 , second member  21 , and seal  38  (inserted inside ducts  37 ) are “packed” tightly ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ) together using the deformability of tabs  29  on second member  21 , which grip onto edge  20   a  of first member  20 . 
         [0049]    In other words, during assembly, main body  22  of second member  21  “clicks” onto first member  20  using the deformability of tabs  29  formed from edge  22   b  and therefore made of plastic material. 
         [0050]    In actual use, second member  21  can be rotated by the operator with respect to first member  20  in the direction indicated by arrow F 1  (and about locating pin  31 ) to