Infuser apparatus for the gastric cavity

A totally enclosed stomach lavage system for introducing an antidote solution into a gastric cavity, comprising:

• a) a container means containing the antidote solution and having a sealed opening that is breachable for expression of the antidote solution therefrom;
• b) a first threaded means provided on the container means surrounding the sealed opening;
• c) a connector means comprising a first inlet branch, a second inlet branch provided with a second threaded means, a rupture means provided inside the second inlet branch surrounded by the second threaded means, and an outlet branch wherein the sealed opening of the container means is rupturable by the rupture means only after such time as the first threaded means is threadingly engaged with the second threaded means so that the antidote solution cannot inadvertently express from the container means to the atmosphere but is confined in the second inlet of the connector means by the threaded engagement between the first and second threaded means;
• d) a conduit means having a proximal end connected to the outlet branch of the connector means and a distal end insertable into the gastric cavity;
• e) a flushing conduit means having a proximal end connected to the first branch of the connector means and a distal end connected to a reservoir means having a discharge port and provided with a flushing fluid;
• f) an expression means positionable on the container means and manipulatable to express the antidote solution from the container means and into the connector means after the sealed opening has been breached by the rupture means and then from the connector means into the conduit means for introduction of the antidote solution into the gastric conduit means, and wherein the flushing fluid is movable from the liquid reservoir and into the first branch of the connector means to there meet the antidote solution present in the connector means, the flushing fluid serving to aid in moving the antidote solution into the conduit means;
• and
• g) a locking means provided on the expression means and manipulatable to lock the container means in its partially expressed condition and wherein the expression means is positionable in a surrounding relationship with respect to the side wall comprising the container means so that opposed sides of the expression means are provided proximate opposed portions of the side wall comprising the container means, and wherein the expression means is manipulatable to fold the container means down upon itself to move the opposed portions of the surrounding side wall comprising the container means into a proximate relationship with respect to each other and thereby provide for expression of the antidote solution therefrom at such time as the sealed opening is ruptured by the rupture means and wherein the expression means comprises a plate means having an elongated slot that is positionable in a surrounding relationship with respect to the side wall comprising the container means and wherein the locking means comprise opposed tab means extending from at least the opposite corners of one end of the plate means and adjacent to an end of the slot, wherein the tab means each have a second longitudinal axis spaced from and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plate means with an open ended slot provided between a side of each tab and an adjacent side of the plate means such that the expression means is manipulatable to cause one of the tab means to contact the container means with a portion of the side wall comprising the container means turned down upon itself and received in one of the open ended slots to thereby lock the container means in a partially expressed condition.

A method for providing a closed stomach lavage, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a flexible container means holding an antidote solution and having a sealed opening that is breachable for expression of the antidote solution therefrom;
• (b) providing a connector means having at least two intersecting branches, one of the branches being provided with a first mating means that is connectable to a second mating means provided at the sealed opening to mate the container means with the connector means, and including the step of the mating the container means to the one branch of the connector means by joining the first and second mating means and wherein the one branch of the connector means is provided with a rupture means that breaches the sealed opening when the container means is mated to the connector means;
• and
• (c) expressing the antidote solution from the container means and through the connector means to a conduit means connected to the second branch of the connector means, the conduit means leading into the stomach of a patient.