Apparatus and method for cleaning a surgically prepared bone surface
AssigneeKinamed, Inc.
InventorWilliam Pratt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus suitable for cleaning a surgically prepared working surface comprises a body portion adapted to supply pressurized fluid (preferably carbon dioxide gas) to the surgically prepared working surface and aspirate surface debris dislodged from the surgically prepared working surface. The apparatus further comprises a head portion adapted to constrain the supplied pressurized fluid to flow substantially along the surgically prepared working surface to dislodge debris there from when the head portion is in contact with the surgically prepared working surface. The dislodged surface debris are aspirated by the body portion. A second embodiment includes a Venturi-assisted cleaning head and is operable with or without an external source of vacuum.
Claims16
An apparatus suitable for cleaning a surgically prepared working surface by lavage with a pressurized fluid or fluid admixture from a pressurized fluid supply, and to aspirate fluids and debris dislodged from the surface, said apparatus comprising:
- a head adapted to confine the supplied pressurized fluid to flow substantially along the surgically prepared working surface to dislodge debris there from when said head portion is in contact with the surgically prepared working surface, said dislodged surface debris being expelled through a collection channel;
- said head having a cleaning orifice adapted to engage with the working surface;
- and
- wherein said head includes a primary fluid flow circuit arranged to flood and clean the working surface with said pressurized fluid, and an auxiliary fluid flow circuit arranged to produce or augment a pressure gradient across said primary fluid flow circuit.
A method for cleaning a surgically prepared, bony surface with a pressurized fluid, comprising the steps:
- a) supplying the pressurized fluid to a region of the surgically prepared bony surface;
- b) causing pressurized fluid to flow substantially across said region of the surgically prepared bony surface, to dislodge debris and remove undesired fluids;
- and
- c) causing the pressurized fluid, collected debris, and collected fluids to flow through a collection channel to remove said debris and collected fluids;
- and
- d) enhancing pressure gradient with a Venturi vacuum jet, to aid flow of the pressurized fluid in step c), above.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.