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US 8,708,985 B2Granted
Systems and methods for evacuating materials at a surgical site
AssigneeNascent Surgical, LLC
InventorLeonard S. Schultz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for evacuating material from a surgical site, the apparatus including a housing and a filter media, and being operably coupled to a vacuum source. The housing includes a top surface, a bottom surface and an outer side wall, together defining an inner cavity of the housing. The housing further includes an access opening in fluid communication with the inner cavity and one or more ingress apertures in fluid communication with the access opening. The filter media is positioned in or adjacent to the inner cavity such that a flow of fluid through the ingress apertures is moved through the filter media.
Claims28
An evacuation apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- a top surface, a bottom surface spaced from said top surface, and an outer side wall extending at least partially between said top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface and the outer sidewall define an inner cavity of the housing;
- an access opening extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner facing being provided along a perimeter of the access opening, wherein the inner cavity is provided in fluid communication with the access opening via the inner facing;
- a support material positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that the support material resists collapse of the housing;
- one or more ingress apertures in fluid communication with the access opening, wherein one or more of the ingress apertures are formed in the outer sidewall;
- and
- a filter media positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity and distinct from and outside of the support material such that a flow of fluid through the ingress apertures moves through the filter media;
- and
- a vacuum device in fluid communication with the inner cavity.
6 more elements
An evacuation apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- a top surface, a bottom surface spaced from said top surface, and an outer side wall extending at least partially between said top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface and the outer sidewall define an inner cavity of the housing;
- an access opening extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner facing being provided along a perimeter of the access opening, wherein the inner cavity is provided in fluid communication with the access opening via the inner facing;
- a support material positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that the support material resists collapse of the housing, wherein the support material is a generally porous material;
- one or more ingress apertures in fluid communication with the access opening, wherein one or more of the ingress apertures are formed in the outer sidewall;
- and
- a filter media positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity and distinct from and outside of the support material such that a flow of fluid through the ingress apertures moves through the filter media;
- and
- a vacuum device in fluid communication with the inner cavity.
6 more elements
A method for promoting cleanliness and/or sterility at a surgical site, the method comprising the steps of;
- positioning an evacuation head adjacent to the surgical site, wherein said evacuation head comprises:
- a housing comprising:
- a top surface, a bottom surface spaced from said top surface, and an outer side wall extending at least partially between said top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface and the outer sidewall define an inner cavity of the housing;
- an access opening extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner facing being provided along a perimeter of the access opening, wherein the inner cavity is in fluid communication with the access opening via the inner facing;
- a support material positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that the support material resists collapse of the housing;
- one or more ingress apertures in fluid communication with the access opening, wherein one or more of the ingress apertures are formed in the outer sidewall;
- and
- a filter media positioned in the inner cavity and distinct from and outside of the support material such that a flow of fluid drawn through the ingress apertures is moved through the filter media;
- providing a vacuum source;
- coupling said evacuation head and said vacuum source;
- and
- actuating said vacuum source, thereby generating a flow of clean and/or sterile fluid across the surgical site and removing surgical byproducts from the surgical site.
9 more elements
A method for promoting cleanliness and/or sterility at a surgical site, the method comprising the steps of;
- positioning an evacuation head adjacent to the surgical site, wherein said evacuation head comprises:
- a housing comprising:
- a top surface, a bottom surface spaced from said top surface, and an outer side wall extending at least partially between said top and bottom surfaces, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface and the outer sidewall define an inner cavity of the housing;
- an access opening extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner facing being provided along a perimeter of the access opening, wherein the inner cavity is in fluid communication with the access opening via the inner facing;
- a support material positioned in at least one of adjacent to or in the inner cavity such that the support material resists collapse of the housing, wherein the support material is a generally porous material;
- one or more ingress apertures in fluid communication with the access opening, wherein one or more of the ingress apertures are formed in the outer sidewall;
- and
- a filter media positioned in the inner cavity and distinct from and outside of the support material such that a flow of fluid drawn through the ingress apertures is moved through the filter media;
- providing a vacuum source;
- coupling said evacuation head and said vacuum source;
- and
- actuating said vacuum source, thereby generating a flow of clean and/or sterile fluid across the surgical site and removing surgical byproducts from the surgical site.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.