Patent ID: 7048724

Claim:
An apparatus for removing fluid from a patient comprising: a container having an interior at a relatively low pressure, the container having a mouth covered by a seal; a drainage line connected to and extending away from the container; a piercing element having a spiked tube with a tubular body positioned proximate the mouth and capable of piercing the seal to transfer the low pressure from the container interior into the drainage line; and a container cap having an upper portion connected to the tubular body of the spiked tube and a lower portion covering the container mouth, the container cap being such that the spiked tube can be moved downward to pierce the seal, the container cap defining a space between a container cap wall and the seal; wherein the container cap has a first configuration when a pressure in the space is substantially atmospheric, and a second configuration when a pressure in the space is less than atmospheric, the second configuration being visibly different from the first configuration to confirm the low pressure in the container when the seal is pierced.