Surgical aspirator and monitor
AssigneeMD Engineering
InventorsRobert Lash, Gregory Hatfield
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for surgical aspiration and monitoring of the aspirated fluids includes a sealable aspiration bottle supported by an electronic weighing scale on a base stand. The bottle includes tubing connectors joined to a negative gauge pressure source and to an aspirating surgical instrument. A pair of electrodes extend into the bottle and are connected to an electronic circuit which measures the impedance of the fluid/tissue aspirate in the bottle. A microprocessor receives the impedance and net weight data of the aspirate, determines the relative amounts and net weights of fluid and tissue in the aspirate, and displays this information on a visual display.
Claims16
For use with an aspirating surgical instrument, apparatus including means for collecting aspirate from the surgical instrument, means for monitoring the weight of the aspirate as it is collected, means for determining the impedance characteristic of the aspirate as it is collected, means for calculating the relative amounts of tissue and physiological fluid in the aspirate based on the monitored weight and impedance characteristic, and means for displaying the weight and relative amounts of tissue and physiological fluid of the aspirate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.