Suction drainage apparatus

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said system comprising:

• means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity;
• means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and said means for collecting fluids;
• means for establishing a second flow path between said means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum;
• means disposed in said second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from said means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber;
• and
• a suction control chamber having:
• inlet and outlet openings connected in series in said second flow path;
• said means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber in series with said inlet opening;
• a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening;
• a sterile liquid disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the discharge of gaseous fluids from said one-way flow means;
• means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure;
• and
• pressure monitoring means for providing an indication of the pressure in said suction control chamber, said pressure monitoring means including a hollow tapered tube having first and second ends, said first end having an aperture with communicates with ambient pressure external to said suction control chamber, said second end being open and disposed within said suction control chamber and a movable, pressure responsive indicator disposed in said tube for assuming a position between said first and second tube ends which is proportional to the differential between said ambient pressure and the pressure within said suction control chamber.

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said system comprising:

• means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, said means having:
• a rigid outer canister;
• a disposable liner receiver inside of said canister, said liner having a cover;
• and
• means for communicating negative pressure to both the inside of said liner receiver and to the inside of said canister so as to maintain the liner receiver expanded when vacuum is applied to the system;
• means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and said means for collecting fluids;
• means for establishing a second flow path between said means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum;
• means disposed in said second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from said means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber;
• a suction control chamber having:
• inlet and outlet openings connected in series in said second flow path;
• said means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber is series with said inlet opening;
• a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening;
• and
• means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure;
• and
• a one-way valve disposed downstream from said means for communicating said negative pressure to the inside of said canister, thereby preventing the loss of vacuum within said canister upon termination of suction from said vacuum source.

A suction drainage system for draining liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, comprising:

• means for collecting liquid and gaseous fluids from a body cavity, the means having:
• a rigid outer canister;
• a disposable liner receiver inside of the canister, the liner having a cover;
• and
• means for communicating negative pressure to both the inside of the liner receiver and to the inside of the canister so as to maintain the liner receiver expanded when vacuum is applied to the system;
• means for establishing a first flow path between a body cavity and the means for collecting fluids;
• means for establishing a second flow path between the
• means for collecting fluids and a source of vacuum;
• means disposed in the second flow path for providing one-way flow of fluid from the means for collecting fluids to a suction control chamber;
• and
• a suction control chamber having:
• inlet and outlet openings connected in series in the second flow path;
• the means for providing one-way flow disposed within said suction control chamber in series with said inlet opening;
• a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet opening;
• a sterile liquid disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the discharge of gaseous fluids from said one-way flow means;
• and
• means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure.

A suction control chamber for use in applying suction to a body cavity through a suction collection container, said suction control chamber comprising:

• an inlet and outlet, said inlet being adapted to be connection in fluid flow communication with said collection container, said outlet being adapted to be connected in fluid flow communicationn with a source of suction;
• check valve means disposed at the inlet of said suction control chamber to permit one-way flow of fluids from said inlet into said suction control chamber;
• means for establishing an essentially constant level of negative pressure inside said suction control chamber, said means further including a flow restrictor in fluid communication with said outlet of said suction control chamber, said flow restrictor being sized so that gaseous flow through said flow restrictor is maintained at sonic velocity over a range of absolute pressure from zero to one-half an atmosphere;
• means for venting said suction control chamber to ambient pressure, said means for venting being sized slightly greater than said flow restrictor;
• a sterile liquid disposed inside said suction control chamber for providing an indication that gaseous fluids from said check valve means are being discharged through said sterile liquid;
• and
• pressure monitoring means disposed in said suction control chamber for providing an indication of the pressure therein.