# US 2020/0391007 A1 · Placeholder suitable for medical use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0391007 A1 - Document ID: US20200391007A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/879,240 - Filed: 2020-05-20 - Published: 2020-12-17 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-12 - Assignees: Heraeus Medical GmbH - Applicants: Heraeus Medical GmbH - Inventors: Sebastian Vogt; Thomas Kluge; Hubert Büchner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200391007A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/8855: {inflatable, e.g. kyphoplasty balloons} - A61M 25/0045: {multi-layered, e.g. coated (coating materials A61L29/08)} - A61F 2/4601: {for introducing bone substitute, for implanting bone graft implants or for compacting them in the bone cavity} - A61M 39/225: {Flush valves, i.e. bypass valves for flushing line} - A61M 39/24: Check- or non-return valves - A61B 2017/00557: {inflatable (A61B2017/22051 takes precedence)} - A61F 2002/2835: {Bone graft implants for filling a bony defect or an endoprosthesis cavity, e.g. by synthetic material or biological material} - A61F 2002/30074: {stretchable} - A61M 2025/0056: {provided with an antibacterial agent, e.g. by coating, residing in the polymer matrix or releasing an agent out of a reservoir} - A61M 2039/0018: {designed for flushing a line, e.g. by a by-pass} - A61M 2039/242: {designed to open when a predetermined pressure or flow rate has been reached, e.g. check valve actuated by fluid} - A61M 2202/0208: Oxygen - A61M 2202/0225: Carbon oxides, e.g. Carbon dioxide - A61M 2202/04: Liquids - A61M 2205/0205: Materials having antiseptic or antimicrobial properties, e.g. silver compounds, rubber with sterilising agent - A61M 2205/7518: bacterial - A61M 2205/7536: allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes - A61M 2210/02: Bones - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A medical placeholder. The medical placeholder has at least one hollow body which is expandable and which defines an interior space, a gas infeed hose which is connected or connectable in a gas-permeable manner with the interior space of the hollow body, and a gas discharge hose which is connected or connectable in a gas-permeable manner with the interior space of the hollow body. The hollow body consists partly or completely of at least one plastic material which is permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide. A one-way valve is arranged in the gas infeed hose and a pressure relief valve is arranged in the gas discharge hose. Also disclosed is a method for gas-flushing a surface of a medical placeholder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A medical placeholder comprising: at least one hollow body which is expandable, defines an interior space in the interior of the hollow body and consists at least part of at least one plastic material that is permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide; a gas infeed hose, which is connected or connectable in a gas-permeable manner with the interior space of the hollow body; a gas discharge hose, which is connected or connectable in a gas-permeable manner with the interior space of the hollow body; a one-way valve arranged in the gas infeed hose; and a pressure relief valve is-arranged in the gas discharge hose. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body or the at least one plastics material of the hollow body has a permeability coefficient for oxygen of greater than or equal to 0.5 cm3/(m2*d*bar) and a permeability coefficient for carbon dioxide of greater than or equal to 0.5 cm3/(m2*d*bar). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, the gas infeed hose has an inflow opening that opens into the interior space, the gas discharge hose has an outflow opening that forms a point where the interior space opens into the gas discharge hose, and the inflow opening of the gas infeed hose is arranged spatially separately from the outflow opening of the gas discharge hose. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The medical placeholder according to claim 3, wherein the hollow body has a first end and an opposite second end and the inflow opening of the gas infeed hose is arranged at the first end of the hollow body and the outflow opening of the gas discharge hose is arranged at the second end of the hollow body opposite the first end. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, wherein the gas infeed hose and the gas discharge hose are arranged at least in part coaxially to one another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, wherein the gas infeed hose and the gas discharge hose are connected to one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, further comprising a common outer hose subdivided by a partition which defines the gas infeed hose on one side and the gas discharge hose on the other side. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, further comprising a sterile filter which is impermeable to microbes but permeable to gases arranged in the gas infeed hose and/or the gas discharge hose. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, further comprising a third valve arranged in the gas infeed hose and/or the gas discharge hose configured to shut off the gas infeed hose and/or the gas discharge hose. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The medical placeholder according to claim 8, wherein the sterile filter is arranged in the gas infeed hose and/or the gas discharge hose downstream of the one-way valve and/or the pressure relief valve in the direction of flow. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, wherein the pressure relief valve has an adjustable opening pressure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, wherein the gas infeed hose and the gas discharge hose consist of a material which is not permeable to oxygen and carbon dioxide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body or the at least one plastics material of the hollow body contains at least one antiseptic active ingredient or is coated with at least one antiseptic active ingredient. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body or the at least one plastic material of the hollow body defines at least one wall and the medical placeholder further comprises: a feed hose configured to receive pharmaceutical active ingredient solutions; a connection adapter arranged at the feed hose; at least one duct connected with the feed hose; and feedthroughs arranged in the at least one wall of the hollow body or of the at least one plastics material of the hollow body, the feedthroughs having openings pointing in the direction of the outside of the hollow body and connecting the at least one duct with the surroundings of the hollow body in a manner permeable to liquids and gases, wherein the at least one duct is configured to feed liquids into the hollow body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The medical placeholder according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body rests in an uninflated state against the gas infeed hose and/or against the gas discharge hose and wherein the hollow body or the at least one plastic material is inflatable in the manner of a balloon. ### Claim 16 A method for gas-flushing a surface of a medical placeholder comprising the following steps: A) expanding a hollow body by feeding a flushing liquid containing oxygen or a flushing gas containing oxygen into an interior space of the hollow body, thereby enlarging the interior space of the hollow body; B) delivering gaseous oxygen from the flushing liquid or the flushing gas through a plastics material defining the interior space to the surroundings of the hollow body; C) absorbing gaseous carbon dioxide from the surroundings of the hollow body through the plastics material defining the interior space into the flushing liquid or the flushing gas; D) passing the flushing liquid or the flushing gas through the interior space of the hollow body; and E) discharging the flushing liquid or flushing gas out of the interior space. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein in that the method is not performed for medical treatment of a human or animal body. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of introducing the hollow body into a cavity prior to step A), wherein during step A) the shape of the expanded hollow body adapts at least in places to the shape of the cavity and during steps B) and C) rests at least in places against the cavity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the hollow body is expanded in step A) until a minimum pressure is reached, wherein a pressure relief valve opens once the minimum pressure is reached, the flushing liquid or the flushing gas being discharged through this pressure relief valve out of the interior space of the hollow body during step E. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1, 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising the initial step of providing a medical placeholder according to claim 1.