Back to results
US 6,641,558 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for preventing air embolisms
AssigneeA-Med Systems, Inc.
InventorsWalid N Aboul-Hosn, William R Kanz, Jonathan Spangler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for preventing air embolisms during surgical procedures which involves providing a fluid source in communication with an aperture extending into an anatomical cavity such that fluid may be delivered into the cavity when a condition of negative pressure exists in the cavity, thereby preventing the introduction of air into the cavity.
Claims16
A method of preventing an air embolism in an anatomical cavity that is subject to a negative pressure condition, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming an aperture in said anatomical cavity,
- (b) providing a fluid source,
- (c) providing a fluid conduit,
- (d) coupling said fluid conduit to said fluid source and said aperture, such that fluid is drawn from said fluid source into said anatomical cavity in response to said negative pressure condition.
1 more element
An apparatus for preventing air embolisms, comprising:
- a fluid source in communication with an aperture extending into an anatomical cavity such that fluid may be delivered into said anatomical cavity when a condition of negative pressure exists in said anatomical cavity, and
- a fluid delivery conduit in communication with said aperture, said fluid delivery conduit being coupled to said fluid source to deliver fluid into said anatomical cavity and positioned such that said fluid delivery conduit does not extend into said anatomical cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.