Body cavity irrigation system

An irrigation system for cleaning a body cavity of a patient, said system comprising:

• a housing fluidly connected to a liquid supply through an inlet port, said housing further including a plurality of interior chambers and a discharge port;
• a handpiece fluidly interconnected to the discharge port of said housing, said handpiece having an actuable control element to control the dispensing of liquid from said liquid supply into a body cavity of a patient through a discharge opening;
• an insertion tip having at least one tip opening attached to said handpiece and aligned with said discharge opening, said insertion tip sized to be fitted a predetermined distance into the body cavity of a patient;
• and
• means for circulating liquid discharged into the body cavity through said insertion tip along a return path extending between said insertion tip and said housing.

A method for cleaning a body cavity using an irrigation system, said irrigation system including a housing attachable to a liquid supply through an inlet port, said housing further having at least one interior chamber and a discharge port in fluid communication with a handpiece, said handpiece including means for selectively discharging liquid from said liquid supply through a discharge opening, said method including the steps of:

• preventing liquid exceeding a first predetermined temperature from being delivered to said handpiece by placing a thin valve member between said inlet port and said discharge port within said housing, said thin valve member being made from a bimetallic temperature reactive material so as to cause said thin valve member to move from a first open position to a second closed position when liquid directly impinging on said thin valve member exceeds said first predetermined temperature;
• indicating when liquid exceeding a second predetermined temperature which is less than the first predetermined temperature has been delivered to the handpiece;
• and
• discharging liquid after said indicating step, thereby ensuring only liquid of a suitable temperature enters the body cavity.

A method for cleaning the ear using an irrigation system, said irrigation system including a housing attachable to a liquid supply through an inlet port, said housing further having at least one interior chamber and a discharge port in fluid communication with a handpiece, said handpiece including means for selectively discharging liquid from said liquid supply through a discharge opening, said method including the steps of:

• preventing liquid exceeding a first predetermined temperature from being delivered to said handpiece by placing a thin valve member between said inlet port and said discharge port within said housing, said thin valve member being made from a bimetallic temperature reactive material so as to cause said thin valve member to move from a first open position to a second closed position when liquid directly impinging on said thin valve member exceeds said first predetermined temperature;
• indicating when liquid exceeding a second predetermined temperature has been delivered to the handpiece;
• and
• discharging liquid after said indicating step, thereby ensuring only liquid of a suitable temperature enters the ear.