Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02488867 2004-12-15
CANADA
TITLE: SUCTION COLLECTION CONTATNER
INVENTOR: LEONARD INESON
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FIELD OF THE INDENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to suction collection
containers for use in medical applications, and more particularly
to such suction collection containers for collecting moisture and
liquids during the evacuation of a surgery plume generated during
electrocautery surgery.
BACKGROI1ND OF THE INVENTION
[0002) The coagulation of blood vessels is a necessary part of
medical surgery and is commonly performed by an electrosurgical
tool commonly known as an electrosurgical pencil or coagulator
pencil. During surgery, the tissue of a patient is electrically
connected to one side of an electrosurgical circuit, arid the
electrically conductive tip of the electrosurgical pencil is
connected to the other side of the electrosurgical circuit. When
the metal tip touches or is near the tissue at the surgical site,
a high frequency electrical current flows from the electrode to the
tissue, thus coagulating and cauterizing the tissue.
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[0003] Due to the cauterizing effect of the electrically
conductive metal tip, small plumes of smoke are produced, which are
typically referred to as surgical smoke, and must be removed. This
surgical smoke is offensive in terms of its pungent odour, and is
also potentially dangerous to surgeons and other operating room
staff in that it contains possible carcinogenic elements, and also
potentially contains transportable viable viral DNA. Exacerbating
this problem, is the fact that such plumes of smoke tend to rise
plumes toward the persons involved in the operation. Further, the
evacuation of smoke away from the surgical site is vital so that
the surgeon's view of the operation site remains as unobscured as
reasonably possible.
[0004] In order to evacuate smoke from a surgical site,
electrosurgical pencils have an air flow passage with an inlet that
either terminates adjacent the electrically conductive metal tip,
or is in fluid communication with the metal tip, and an outlet at
the opposite end. The outlet is configured to receive and xetain
thereon a plastic air flow hose that is connected to a source of
low air pressure that causes air to be drawn from the
electrosurgical pencil. The air flow must be sufficient to draw
away plumes of surgical smoke, which are subsequently filtered
before they reach the source of low air pressure by a filter made
from sponge foam or often suitable material. However, such
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sufficient air flow is typically strong enough to also draw in
moisture and liquids. The capture of moisture and liquids is
highly undesirable a they tend to clog up the filter. Further, the
filter must be discarded if moisture or liquids collect in it,
which is highly undesirable as these filters are typically quite
expensive.
[0005] The a surgery plume filter material used in such filters
is described in United States patent 5,874,052 issued February 23,
1999 to Holland. This anti-microbial filter is for filtering
particulate, gases, harmful microbes and orders sus~~nderl in the
smoke plume generated during surgery. The filter comprises a pre-
filter arranged tn initially contact a generated smoke plume and to
capture suspended particulate. A first filter is arranged adjacent
to the pre-filter and is arranged to capture and kill harmful
micro-organisms suspended in the smoke plume. The first filter
comprises a filter media of filter strands, with each strand being
a compound that includes a polymer and an organometallic anti-
microbial agent ca-mingled homogeneously one with the other. A
second filter is in series with the pre-filter and the first filter
and comprises activated charcoal constructed and arranged to remove
gases and odours in the smoke plume. A post-filter is in series
with the pre-filter and the first and the second filters and is
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constructed and arranged to prevent migration of the second filters
activated charcoal.
[0006] As is well known, if moisture or liquids enter such a
smoke plume filter, the filter can readily become clogged or
inoperative, and must be replaced, which is highly undesirable, as
such smoke plume filters are expensive.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
suction collection container for use in medical applications,
during surgery.
[0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide
a suction collection container for use in medical appli-cations,
during surgery, which suction collection containers collect
moistuxe and liquids during the evacuation of a surgery plume
generated during electrocautery surgery.
[0009] It is a further object of the present invention to
provide a suction collection container for use in medical
applications, during surgery, which suction collection container is
inexpensive to manufacture.
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SUI~rRY OF THE INVENTION
[00010] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention
there is disclosed a novel suction collection container for use in
an surgery plume evacuation system. The suction collection
container comprises a main outer shell having an inner surface that
defines a substantially hollow interior. An inlet port is in fluid
communication with the substantially hollow interior of the main
outer shell, to permit air, smoke, moisture, liquid, and
particulate matter to ingress into the substantially hollow
interior of the main outer shell. An outlet port is in fluid
communication with the substantially hollow interior of the main
outer shell and in fluid communication with the inlet port, to
permit air and smoke within the substantially hollow interior of
the main outer shell and egress from the substantially hollow
interior of the main outer shell. An air filter is disposed in
filtering relation at the outlet port, so as to preclude moisture,
liquid, and particulate matter from exiting the substantially
hollow interior of the main outer shell through the outlet port.
A deflector means is interpositioned between the inlet port and the
outlet port in fluid receiving relation behind the inlet port, to
therehy de~lect fluids entering the substantially hollow interior
through the inlet port and preclude the fluids from reaching the
outlet port. There is an air flow path from the inlet port to the
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outlet port, to permit air and smoke to pass from the inlet port to
the outlet port. A downwardly sloping lower baffle plate and a
downwardly sloping upper baffle plate are disposed within said
hollow interi.nr of said main outer shell so as to partition said
hollow interior into an upper fluid receiving chamber and a lower
fluid collecting chamber. A liquid throughpassage between said
upper baffle plate and said lower baffle plate permits the passage
of liquids from said upper fluid receiving chamber to said lower
fluid collecting chamber.
[00011] Other advantages, features and characteristics of the
present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of
the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts
and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon
consideration of the following detailed description and the
appended cla-ims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the
latter of which is briefly described herein below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T8E DRAWINGS
[00012] The novel features which are believed to be
characteristic of the suction collection container according to the
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present invention, as to its structure, organization, use and
method of operation, together with further objectives and
advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following
drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention
will now be illustrated by way of example. It is expressly
understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of
illustration and description only, and are not intended as a
definition of the limits of the invention. In the accompanying
drawings:
[00013] Figure 1 is a simplified overall pictorial representation
of a preferred embodiment of the suction collection con~.ainer
according to the present invention, in use with a surgery plume
evacuation system;
[0001x] Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the preferred
embodiment of the suction collection container shown in Figure 1,
with portions shown in dashed lining for the sake of clarity
[00015] Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the suction
collection container of Figure 2, with portions shown in dashed
lining for the sake of clarity;
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[00016] Figure 4 is a sectional side elevational view of the
suction collection container of Figure 2, taken along section line
4-4 of Figure 3;
[00017] Figure 5 is a sectional front elevational view of the
suction collection container of Figure 2, taken along section line
5-5 of Figure 2, with portions shown in dashed lining for the sake
of clarity;
[00018] Figure 6 is a sectional front elevational view of the
suction collection container of Figure 2, taken along section line
6-6 of Figure 2; and,
[00019] Figure 7 is a sectional side elevational view similar to
Figure 4, but showing the preferred embodiment suct~.an collection
container in use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EbP30DI~NT
[00020] Reference will now be made to Figures 1 through 7, which
show a preferred embodiment of the suction collection container of
the present invention, as indicated by general reference numeral
20. The suction collection container 20 is for use in an surgery
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plume evacuation system, as indicated by the general reference
numeral 22 in Figure 1. The surgery plume evacuation system 22
includes an electrosurgical pencil 24, a first flexible tube 26,
the suction co.l.lection container 20, a second flexible tube 28, a
main smoke filter 30, a suction hose 32, and a central suctioning
system 34. The intake end 26a of the first flexible tube 26 is
connected to the electrosurgical pencil 24 and the delivery end 26b
of the first flexible tube 26 is connected to the inlet nozzle 50
of the suction collection container 20 to permit delivery of air,
smoke, moisture, liquid, and particulate matter from the
electrosurgical pencil 24 to the suction collection container 20.
The intake end 28a of the second flexible tube 28 is connected to
the outlet nozzle 60 of the suction collection container 20 and the
delivery end 28b of the second flexible tube 28 is connected to the
main smoke filter 30 to permit the delivery of air and smoke from
the suction collection container 20 to the main smoke filter 30.
The main smoke filter 30 is connected to the central suctioning
system 34, via the suction hose 32.
[00021] The suction collection container 20 comprises a main
outer shell 40 having an inner surface 42 that defines a
substantially hollow interior 44. In the preferred embodiment, as
illustrated, the main outer shell 40 comprises a front section 46
and a rear section 48 that are distinct one from the other and are
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joined together one to the other during the manufacturing process.
The front and rear sections 46,48 of the main outer shell 40 are
made from a plastic such as polypropylene, or any other suitable
plastic material.
[00022] The suction collection container 20 comprises an inlet
port 52 defined by the inlet nozzle 50. The inlet port 52 is in
fluid communication with the substantially hollow interior 44 of
the main outer shell 40, to permit air, smoke, moisture, liquid,
and particulate matter received from the electrosurgical pencil 24
through the first flexible tube 26 to ingress into the
substantially hollow interior 44 of the main outer shell 40.
[00023] The preferred embodiment suction collection container 20,
as illustrated, further comprises a second inlet nozzle 54 and a
second inlet port 56. The second inlet nozzle 54 and a second
inlet port 56 are substantially identical to the inlet nozzle 50
and the inlet port 52. If required, a second electrosurgical
pencil (not shown) is connected to the second inlet nozzle 54 far
use by a second surgeon.
[00024] The suction collection container 20 also comprises an
outlet port 62 defined by the outlet nozzle 60. The outlet port 62
is in fluid communication with the substantially hollow interior 44
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of the main outer shell 40, and therefore is in fluid communication
with the inlet port 52. The outlet port 62 permits air and smoke
within the substantially hollow interior 44 of the main outer shell
40 to egress from the substantially hollow interior 44 of the main
outer shell 40, so as to be received by the second flexible tube
28. The air and smoke then enter the main smoke filter 30, where
the smoke is removed from the air. The filtered air is
subsequently suctioned into the suction hose 32 and the central
suctioning system 34.
[00025) An air filter means 70 comprising a suitable foam filter,
or other suitable type of filter, is disposed in filtering relation
at the outlet port 62, and is retained in place between a pair of
opposed flanges. The air filter 70 precludes moisture, liquid, and
particulate matter from exiting the substantially hollow interior
44 of the main outer shell 40 through the outlet port 62.
[00026) A deflector means 80 is interpositioned between the inlet
port 52 and the outlet part 62 in fluid receiving relation behind
the inlet port 52. The deflector means 80 comprises at least one
deflector plate 80, and in the preferred embodiment, as
illustrated, comprises a single deflector plate 80 that is
substantially vertically oriented within the main outer shell 40.
The deflector plate 80 is defined by peripheral edges 82 including
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a bottom edge 84. The deflector plate 80 is secured in sealed
relation to the inner surface 42 of the main outer shell 40 at each
of the peripheral edges 82 other than the bottom edge 84. In this
manned there is no passage of air, smoke, moisture, liquid, and
particulate matter past the deflector plate 80, except past the
bottom edge 84 of the deflector plate 80. As can be seen in Figure
7, the deflector plate 80 deflects fluids entering the
substantially hollow interior 44 through the inlet port 52 and
precludes the fluids from reaching the outlet port 62.
[00027] An air flow path, as indicated by arrow "A", extends from
the inlet port 52 to the outlet port 62, and under the bottom edge
84 of the deflector plate 80, to permit air and smoke to pass from
the inlet port 52 to the outlet port 62.
[00028] The suction collection container 20 further comprises a
partitioning means 90 disposed within the hollow interior 44 of the
main outer shell 40. The partitioning means 90 comprises at least
one baffle plate sloped downwardly to the liquid throughpassage
104, which will be discussed in greater detail subsequently. In
the preferred embodiment, as illustrated, the at least one baffle
plate comprises a downwardly sloping lower baffle plate 92 defined
by peripheral edges 93 including a bottom edge 94, and a downwardly
sloping upper baffle plate 96 defined by peripheral edges 97
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including a bottom edge 98. The upper baffle plate 96 and lower
baffle plate 92 are each secured in sealed relation to the inner
surface 42 of the main outer shell 40 at each of their peripheral
edges 93,97, respectively, other than their bottom edges 94,98,
respectively.
[00029] As can be best seen in Figures 3 and 6, the downwardly
sloping lower baffle plate 92 and the downwardly sloping upper
baffle plate 96 together partition the hollow interior 44 of the
main outer shell 40 into an upper fluid receiving chamber 100 and
a lower fluid collecting chamber 102. The liquid throughpassage
104 is defined between the bottom edge 98 of the upper baffle plate
96 and the lower baffle plate 92. The liquid throughpassage 104
permits the passage of liquids from the upper fluid receiving
chamber 100 to the lower fluid collecting chamber 102, as caused by
gravity. The lower fluid collecting chamber 102 holds about 70 cc
to about 100 cc of moisture, liquid, and particulate matter,
depending on the overall size of the main outer shell 40.
[00030] As can be best seen in Figures 3 and 6, the upper baffle
plate 96 vertically overlaps the lower baffle plate 92, so as to
minimize upwardly directed splashback of any liquids contained
within the lower fluid collecting chamber 102. Preferably, the
liquid throughpassage 104 is the only throughpassage from the lower
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fluid collecting chamber 102 to the upper fluid receiving chamber
100, so as to minimize the possibility of upwardly directed
splashback of any liquids contained within the lower fluid
collecting chamber 102.
[00031] As can be readily seen in the figures, the inlet port 52
is positioned to permit the ingress of air, smoke, moisture,
liquid, and particulate matter into the upper fluid receiving
chamber 100_ Further, the outlet port 62 is positioned to permit
the egress of air and smoke from the upper fluid receiving chamber
100.
[00032] Use of the preferred embodiment of the suction collection
container 20 of the present invention will now be described, with
reference to Figures 1 and 7. In use, air, smoke, moisture,
liquid, and particulate matter are suctioned into the
electrosurgical pencil 24 and travel through the first flexible
tube 26 into the suction collection container 20 through the inlet
port 52, as indicated by arrow "B" in Figure 7. The moisture,
liquid, and particulate matter impact on the substantially
vertically oriented deflector plate 80, as indicated by arrow "C".
The deflector plate 80 deflects the moisture, liquid, and
particulate matter such that they fall onto the downwardly sloping
upper baffle plate 96 and the downwardly sloping lower baffle plate
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92. The moisture, liquid, and particulate matter then fall through
the liquid throughpassage 104, as indicated by arrow "D", into the
lower fluid collecting chamber 102. The air and smoke follow the
air flow path, as indicated by arrow "A", under the bottom edge 84
of the deflector plate 80 and to the outlet port 62, whereat they
travel through the filter 70 and egress from the substantially
hollow interior 44 of the main outer shell 40, as indicated by
arrow "~", for subsequent travel through the second flexible tube
28 to the main smoke filter 30, as drawn by the central suctioning
system 34 through the suction hose 32.
[00033] As can be understood from the above description and from
the accompanying drawings, the present invention provides a suction
collection container, for use in medical applications, which
suction collection containers collect moisture and liquids during
the evacuation of a surgery plume generated during electrocautery
surgery, and which suction collection container is inexpensive to
manufacture, all of which features are unknown in the prior art.
(00034] Other variations of the above principles will be apparent
to those who are knowledgeable in the field of the invention, and
such variations are considered to be within the scope of the
present invention. Further, other modifications and alterations
may be used in the design and manufacture of the suction collection
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container of the present invention without departing from the
spirit and scope of the accompanying claims.
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