US 5,247,966 AGranted

Suction irrigator valve apparatus

AssigneeTahoe Surgical Instruments

InventorsJon A. Stevens, Roger R. Hill

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Abstract

A device for irrigation and suction removal of blood, bodily fluids and debris from a body cavity primarily during laparoscopic procedures and surgery. The device contains a single piston slidably disposed in a passage contained in a housing having two inlets and a single outlet. The piston includes a central seal with two valve portions positioned on each side of the central seal. Piston positioning means are provided to move the piston to align the valve portions within the housing with the outlet and one of the inlets, while the other inlet is simultaneously sealed off. Thus, the piston may be moved from a neutral or shut-off position to an open irrigation position, or, alternately, moved from the neutral or shut-off position to an open vacuum position. The valve may also contain automatic biasing means for returning the valve from either the open-irrigation position or the open-vacuum position to the central shut-off position.

An apparatus for alternatively allowing passage of an irrigating fluid and the application of a vacuum therethrough comprising:

(1) a body having an internal cavity defining a longitudinal axis;
(2) a vacuum inlet opening passing from the exterior of said body to said cavity;
(3) an irrigation inlet opening passing from the exterior of said body to said cavity;
(4) a vacuum and irrigation outlet opening passing from the exterior of said body to said cavity, said outlet being positioned along said longitudinal axis between said vacuum inlet opening and said irrigation inlet opening;
and
(5) a piston disposed within said cavity and along said longitudinal axis, said piston comprising:
(a) a first, a second, a third, and a fourth sealing portion disposed along said longitudinal axis, each sealing portion including an O-ring,
(b) a first waisted portion disposed between said first sealing portion and said second sealing portion,
(c) a second waisted portion disposed between said third sealing portion and said fourth sealing portion,
(d) a central sealing portion disposed between said second sealing portion and said third sealing portion, said central sealing portion substantially filling said cavity over a portion of said longitudinal axis,
said piston being slidable along said longitudinal axis from a central off position, wherein said central sealing portion and said second and third sealing portions together seal said vacuum and irrigation outlet opening, to one of an irrigate position and a vacuum position,
said first, second, third, and fourth sealing portions, said first and second waisted portions and said central sealing portion being disposed along said longitudinal axis relative to said irrigation inlet opening, said vacuum inlet opening, and said irrigation and vacuum outlet opening such that:
said first waisted portion and said first and second sealing portions together provide a sealed passage between said irrigation inlet opening and said irrigation and vacuum outlet opening only when said piston is slid to said irrigate position, and seal said irrigation inlet opening when said piston is in said off position,
said second waisted portion and said third and fourth sealing portions together provide a sealed passage between said vacuum inlet opening and said irrigation and vacuum outlet opening only when said piston is slid to said vacuum position, and seal said vacuum inlet opening when said piston is in said off position, and
said central sealing portion together with said second and third sealing portions together:
seal said vacuum inlet opening when said piston is slid to said irrigate position, and
seal said irrigation inlet opening when said piston is slid to said vacuum position, and
(6) a biassing means for biassing said piston to said off position.

15 more elements

Abstract

Claims5