Thoracostomy pump-tube apparatus
OwnerJames W. Jonesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thoracostomy tube provides a pumping arrangement associated with the tube for removing blood and like fluids which enter the tube from the chest cavity area. An elongated tube for conveying liquids is provided, a portion of the tube being insertable, at least in part, into the thoracic cavity area of a patient during a thoracostomy. A valve, which can be, for example, a Heimlich valve, is associated with the tube and is mounted in the distal end portion which is placed into the lung cavity area during the thoracostomy. The valve allows fluids to flow into the tube under the urging of only the pressure normally experienced within the lung cavity. Once fluids pass from the lung cavity area into the tube through the valve, they are removed by a vacuum which is created at the outlet portion of the valve.
Claims16
A thoracostomy pump-tube apparatus comprising:
- a. tube means for conveying fluids from the lung cavity area of a patient to an area external therefrom, said tube means having proximal and distal end portions, said distal end portions being normally inserted into the lung cavity area of a patient during a thoracostomy;
- b. valve means placed in the distal end portion of said tube means for allowing the single direction flow of fluids from said lung cavity area into said tube means and past said valve means with said valve means disallowing backflow of fluids from within said tube means back into the patient's chest cavity;
- c. fluid discharge means operative within said tube means for continuously assisting the removal of fluids from said tube means which fluids have entered said tube means through said valve means;
- d. said fluid discharge means positioned adjacent to the valve means and placed within the walls of the tube.
A thoracostomy pump-tube apparatus comprising:
- a. an elongated tube having proximate and distal end portions and providing therebetween a continuous bore for conveying fluids from end portion of said tube to the other end portion thereof;
- b. valve means placed in the distal end portion of said tube for valving the flow of fluids from the chest cavity of a patient into the tube bore, said valve means allowing fluid flow from the patient's chest cavity through said valve means into the tube bore responsive to natural pressure created within the chest cavity area, said valve means disallowing backflow from the tube bore into the chest cavity passed said valve means;
- c. at least one elongated conduit positioned within the tube bore of said tube, said conduit having proximate and distal end portions corresponding with the proximate and distal end portions of said tube with the distal end portion of said conduit providing an opening adjacent the discharge side of said valve means and said conduit providing at the proximate end portion of said tube an opening connected with a provided air intake formed in the tube wall;
- d. a source of vacuum connected during operation to the proximate end portion of said tube, said vacuum creating a circulation of air from said air intake through said conduit to the discharge side of said valve and thence to the proximate end portion of said tube, this circulation effecting a removal of fluids entering said tube through said valve means.
A post-operative method for removing fluids from the chest cavity of a surgical patient comprising the steps of:
- a. inserting the distal end of an elongated tube partially into the chest cavity of a patient with one end portion of the tube remaining in the chest cavity area;
- b. valving at the distal end of the tube, controlling the flow of fluids from the chest cavity into the tube inner bore with said valving mounted to the distal end portion of the tube;
- c. flushing the tube through a discharge means adjacent the valve;
- d. disallowing backflow of fluids from the tube into the chest cavity;
- and
- e. removing fluids which have entered the tube bore through the distal end portion thereof as such fluids pass through the valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.