Patent GB-1318620-A (GB)
Title: Surgical drainage apparatus
IPC: A61M1/00
Filed: 1970-07-06
Abstract: 1318620 Surgical drainage apparatus LE VOY'S Inc 6 July 1970 32565/70 Heading A5R [Also in Division F2] Surgical drainage apparatus comprises a generally cylindrical canister, preferably of rigid plastics material, having a removable cover, and a liner receiver for removable insertion in said canister, preferably of flexible plastics material, a tube adapted to communicate the interior of the liner with a tube leading from the body of a patient, and a second tube adapted to place the interior of both canister and receiver in communication with an air suction system. In a first embodiment, Fig. 3, a receiver 2 adapted to be placed in a canister 1 has a tube assembly 18, 19 carried by the top 13 of the receiver in removable telscopic communication with a tube 20 for connection with a source of body fluid, removably carried by the cover 9 of the canister, a drainage tube 24-26 with a removable clamp 28, the ends of the tubes 18, 25 inside the canister overlapping as shown, in use, water being placed in the receiver 2 to the level shown to prevent any air from passing back along the tube 18. The top 13 of the receiver 2 is also provided with a short tube 15 in communication with both the interior of the receiver 2 and canister 1 with an air filter 16, 17 preferably of cotton material. In use, air is withdrawn by means of a suction system through the tube 11 carried in the lid 9 of the canister, the pressure in the canister initially falling below that in the receiver owing to the resistance of the filter medium 17 so that the receiver expands to its maximum volume. The receiver 2 is maintained in position in the canister 1 partly by engagement with the tube 20, and partly by a sealing engagement of an annular element 23 secured to the bottom 14, with an aperture (5), Fig. 4 (not shown) in the bottom 4 of the canister 1. After use, the receiver 2 is taken from the canister, preferably by means of a tab 35, and is intended to be discarded. The drainage tube assembly 24-26 and the elongate portion of the tube 18 may be omitted. In a second embodiment, Fig. 6, a canister 36 is provided with a removable cover 38 having a receiver 44 depending from it, the cover carrying a tube 39 for connection with a source of liquid, and a "Y"-tube 40 having an arm 43 in communication with the interior of the receiver 44 and an arm 42, with the surrounding interior of the canister 36, both arms preferably containing a filter medium. The arm 43 is of smaller cross-section than that of 42 so that when the tube 42 is connected to a suction system, an initial pressure differential is again built up as described above. A safety valve positioned beneath the tube arm 43 comprises a tubular housing 48 having a transverse partition 49 with a central aperture 50. Upstream of this aperture, the housing 48 is provided with a plurality of apertures 51 in communication with the interior of the receiver. On filling above the bottom of a tube 52 mounted in the base of the housing 48, the pressure of the residual air left in the tube 52 rises so as to cause a cone-shaped diaphragm 53, covering the upper end of the tube 52 inside the housing 48, to "pop" upwards and seal the aperture 50. The cover and receiver are intended to be used once only and the contents of the receiver may be removed by pulling a tear strip 67 mounted along a line of weakeness 55 causing a section 54 of the wall of the receiver 44 to be removed.