Abstract:
A dual-purpose catheter for performing suction or oxygen feed on a patient including two cylindrical bodies rotatably coupled together and held together by a spring which is biased to hold the bodies in a first position with respect to each other but permits rotation to a second position. One body includes first and second tubes which can be coupled to a source of suction or a source of oxygen, and the other body includes means for receiving said tubes in a tight fit and tube means for coupling either suction or oxygen to the patient, depending on the rotation state of the two bodies with respect to each other.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a catheter which can be inserted in the body and can provide suction or oxygen as desired by the operator of the catheter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,406 of Walter J. Jinotti shows one form of suction-oxygen catheter which operates satisfactorily; however, the apparatus shown does not readily lend itself to mass production and is larger than is desired. It is also somewhat inconvenient to operate the catheter to switch from suction operation to oxygen feed. 
     The present invention provides a suction oxygen catheter which is small, easy to assemble and operate, and is easy to mass produce. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the catheter of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional exploded view of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the patient end of the catheter valve body of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the end of the catheter valve body of the invention to which an oxygen source and suction source are connected; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the catheter of the invention showing the relationship of certain parts when the catheter is assembled; and 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of flexible tubing used with the catheter of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The dual purpose catheter of the invention 10 includes a valve control mechanism 20 of a synthetic resinous material comprising two bodies 30 and 40 having circular cross-sections and rotatably coupled together. One body 30 includes a flat rear wall 44, through which first and second integral tubes 50 and 60 extend so that the two tubes lie inside and outside the body and thus inside the valve mechanism. The inner ends 51 and 61 of tubes 50 and 60 are as smooth as possible for a purpose to be described. Tube 50 is used for connection to a suction source, and tube 60 for connection to an oxygen supply, and the suction tube 50 is preferably of larger diameter. A portion 70 of the inner wall of the body 30 (FIG. 2) near rear wall 44 is thickened or is of reduced inside diameter to provide an annular ledge 74 which acts as a stop for the leading end of body 40 when the two are assembled. The rear wall 44 of the body 30 also has a central hole 80 and a notched tab 90 which is formed integral with the body 30 and extends partly across the hole 80. The tab 90 has notch or depression 92 across its outer surface. 
     An operating finger tab 100 extends generally perpendicularly from the outer surface of the body 30 for manipulation by the operator of the catheter. The lower edge of tab 100 has a notch 102 for a purpose to be described. 
     The second body 40 includes a rear wall 110, whose inner surface 112 is as smooth as possible, for a purpose to be described. The annular outer wall 120 of body 40 has a portion 122 of reduced thickness or smaller outside diameter at its leading end for insertion into body 30. Also, the outer surface of the thicker portion 124 is provided with a region 130 of reduced thickness (FIG. 1) having a ledge 132 (FIGS. 1 and 2) where it joins the portion 122 of reduced thickness. An integral operating finger tab 140 extends generally perpendicularly from the thicker annular wall portion at one end of the portion 130 of reduced thickness. 
     The finger tabs 100 and 140 are provided with roughened strips 142 on their outer opposite faces, shown only in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, to facilitate their manipulation by the user of the catheter. 
     Two tubes 150 and 160 extend away from the wall 110, one 150 for oxygen and one 160 for suction. The two tubes 150 and 160 communicate with the inside of the body 40 through holes 152 and 162 in the rear wall 110. The rear wall 110 also has two holes 170 and 180 located on the same circumference as the two tubes 150 and 160, and a central opening 190. A small integral tab 200 having a notch 210 extends part way across the opening 190. 
     When the two bodies 30 and 40 are put together, the thin annular wall 122 of the body 40 fits snugly into the opening in body 30, and the leading end 212 butts up against the ledge 74. Similarly, the leading end 214 of body 30 butts up against ledge 216 where wall 122 meets wall 124 of the body 40. Also, the inner ends 51 and 61 of tubes 50 and 60 form a tight fit against the inner surface 112 of rear wall 110 of body 40 to provide an essentially leak-proof coupling between body 30 and body 40. When the bodies 30 and 40 are put together, the finger tab 100 slips over the rim 132, and the notch 102 in the lower surface thereof engages and locks in on the rim. 
     The two bodies 30 and 40 are held together securely and tightly by means of a helical spring 218 which is secured at its ends in the notches 92 and 210 in the tabs 90 and 200. In attaching the spring 218, with the two bodies 30 and 40 loosely coupled together, one end of the spring is shaped like a hook and is secured to notch 92, and, with the other end grasped by a hooked instrument, the spring is rotated to bias it, and then its other end, which is also shaped like a hook, is set in notch 210 in tab 200, and the bodies are locked together. The spring holds bodies 30 and 40 tightly together with the inner portions 51 and 61 of tubes 50 and 60 snug against the inner surface 112 of end wall 110. The bias set into the spring serves to keep the bodies 30 and 40 rotated so that the finger tabs 100 and 140 are at their maximum distance apart. With this orientation of the bodies, the oxygen tube 60 is aligned with the oxygen feed tube 150 through its hole 152 in wall 110, and the suction tube 50 is aligned with hole 170 and the ambient atmosphere. When the tabs 100 and 140 are squeezed together, the suction tube 50 is aligned with suction tube 160 through its hole 162 in the wall 110, and the oxygen tube 60 is aligned with the hole 180 and the ambient atmosphere. 
     The tube 50 is connected by flexible plastic tubing 220 to a source of suction (not shown), and the tube 60 is similarly connected by tubing 230 to an oxygen source (not shown). 
     According to the invention, the oxygen and suction tubes 150 and 160, the patient side of the valve mechanism, are connected to plastic tubes 240 and 250, respectively, which are threaded over the tubes 150 and 160 or are inserted into the tubes and are cemented therein. The oxygen tube 240 is of smaller diameter than the suction tube 250. The tubes 240 and 250 are manufactured as an integral unit, and they preferably have generally semicircular cross sections with the flat portions of the tubes adjacent to each other (FIG. 6). The tubes 240 and 250 are separated a small amount, at one end, to permit them to be secured to tubes 150 and 160. The unitary assembly of plastic tubes 240 and 250 is provided with well-defined grooves 260 between them (FIGS. 1 and 6). The tube assembly also preferably has a curvature 270 built into it when it is manufactured. The patient end of the oxygen and suction tubes also have several small holes 280 at their ends to assist them in performing their functions. 
     When the catheter 10 is used, both the built-in curvature 270 of the assembly of tubes 240 and 250 and the difference in the diameters of the tubes combine to impart controllability of the assembly by the operator, and permit easy guidance of the patient ends of the tubes into the throat and into the left or right lung. In addition, as the tubing is moved and rotated, the grooves 260 in the tubing act as a rake and loosen mucus which can be removed by the suction. 
     In using the apparatus, the finger tabs 100 and 140 and all of the parts are set so that suction force passes from the tube 250 and tube 160 through the valve 20 and out through the tube 220. At this time, oxygen flows through tubing 230 and tube 60 and out of the hole 180 to the atmosphere. After a suitable time interval of suctioning, the tabs 100 and 140 are pressed together to align the oxygen tubes 60 and 150 and to align the suction tube 50 with the hole 170 to the atmosphere, and oxygen is administered. After a while, the tabs are manipulated and oxygen is discontinued, and suction is applied. 
     It should be understood that the drawings, and especially FIGS. 2 and 5, are drawn, in general, to make the invention clear, not to be dimensionally correct and not to show all of the parts in their exact location.