US3528427A - Poole suction catheter - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 2/1902 Westlake...................... 2,614,563 10/1952 Devine...... 2,930,378 3,314,430

[72] Inventors David S. Sheridan Argyle; Ralph D. Alley, Loudonville, New York [21] Appl. No. 670,564 I [22] Filed Sept. 26, 1967 [45] Patented Sept. 15, 1970 OTHER REFERENCES A Simple Device for Left Heart Decompres- [73] Assignee By mesne assignments, to Bea" et a] Sherwood Medical Industries Inc. a corporation of Delaware 51011 During Cardiopulmonary Bypass, J. Thorac. and Card.

Surg., vol. 43, No.3, March 1962, pp. 406 407. Primary Examiner-Dalton L. Truluck [54] POOLE SUCTION CATHETER Attorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman and McCord 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: A surgical drain catheter including a cannula having a plurality of radially facing drain apertures and a tubular casing over the cannula, the tubular casing also having a plurality of radially facing drain apertures,'characterized by the provision of a generally axially facing drain aperture at e distal end of the catheter for directly axially draining fluid from a surgical field.

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POOLE SUCTION CATHETER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to catheters and more particularly to a drain catheter for use during surgery to remove fluid from a surgical field.

2. Description of the Prior Art Generally speaking, drain catheters are well-known in the art. Typically these catheters include a generally cylindrical cannula having radially facing drain apertures and a tubular casing also having generally radially facing apertures, generally concentrically positioned over the cannula. Means are usually provided for connecting the cannula to a source of negative pressure or the like for establishing suction so that, when the catheter is positioned with the distal end thereof in a fluid pool in the surgical field, the fluid may be drained through the apertures. Examples of such catheter construction are found in the Alley et al. Pat. 3,314,430, issued April 18, 1967 and assigned to the assignee of this invention as well as Overment Pat. 3,108,595, issued October 29, 1963, and Buyers Pat. 2,930,378, issued March 29, 1960. In all of these structures, the distal tip of the drain catheter is enclosed, and the cannula is fastened to the tubular casing in the distal end in such a fashion as to prevent the possibility of an opening being established therethrough.

Sheridan Pat. 3,042,044, issued July 3, 1962, and Honsacker Pat. 1,879,249, issued September 27, 1932, show medical tubes for use in the intestinal area wherein the tube has an open distal end. However, the tubes shown in these patents are not intended for use in draining a surgical field and are not suited for such in that they are not of the dual tubular construction which is typical of surgical drain catheters as shown in the aforementioned Alley, Buyers and Overment patents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of a surgical drain catheter of the type having a cannula with radially outwardly extending apertures and a tubular casing over the cannula, the tubular casing also having radially outwardly extending apertures, characterized in that an axially extending aperture is formed through the casing and cannula at the distal end of the catheter. Also, preferably the cannula is formed of a substantially rigid material to minimize flexure thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the drain catheter of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the drain catheter of this invention taken generally along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken generally along the lines 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section view taken generally along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The surgical drain catheter of this invention includes a generally circular cylindrical cannula 12 which is substantially enclosed within a generally circular cylindrical tubular casing 14. Preferably both the cannula and easing are made of a plastic material which is transparent or partially transparent. The catheter has a distal end generally indicated 16, which is intended for insertion into a surgical field during use, and a proximal end 18, which is intended for connection with a suitable means for establishing a drain flow from the surgical field, such as by connecting the catheter to a source of negative pressure or the like.

A first set of oppositely spaced and axially elongate apertures 20a are provided near the distal end of the cannula l2. Apertures 20a are oriented so as to face generally radially outwardly. The extreme distal tip of the cannula is provided with an axially extending opening 22. Proximal extension 24 of the cannula forms a connector for connection for a suitable means for establishing a drain, such as a source of negative pressure or the like.

The distal end portion of casing 14 also includes a plurality of sets of oppositely disposed axially elongate apertures 26a and 26b, each of which faces radially outwardly. Preferably, the two sets 26a and 26b are oriented generally at right angles to each other and are laterally misaligned with respect to the axial extent of the casing. The apertures 26a and 26b'are smaller than the apertures 20a and the first set of apertures 26b are axially spaced away from the distal end of the catheter a distance greater than the apertures 20a in the cannula 12. The extreme distal end of the interior of the tubular casing is provided with a radially projecting annular shoulder 28 which terminates in a circular opening 30 generally of a size and shape to receive the distal end of cannula 12 so that axially facing opening 22 opens to the exterior of the catheter. The opening 30 tends to support and hold the cannula 12 generally centrally of the casing 14.

Vent apertures 32 may be formed near the proximal end of the casing to establish a vent when the catheter is in use. The proximal neck 34 of casing 14 is in substantially sealing engagement with enlarged area 36 of the connector portion 24 of cannula 12. If desired, the catheter could be provided with means establishing an X-ray opaque line in the wall of the tubular casing in a manner as shown in the Alley et al. Pat. 3,314,430.

Preferably the cannula 12 is made substantially rigid to lend rigidity to the overall catheter facilitating insertional orientation thereof in use. The catheter is used by being inserted vertically in a patient and attached to a suitable source of negative pressure for withdrawing fluids from the surgical field during an operation through the radially and axially facing apertures. The provision of the axially facing opening at the extreme distal end of the catheter permits the withdrawal of liquids from the surgical field when the liquid level is extremely low. Thus the surgical field is maintained extremely clean without the necessity for stopping the withdrawal action or the necessity of utilizing other means to completely drain the surgical field.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A medical drain for use during surgical operations, comprising: a cylindrical substantially rigid cannula having a distal end and a proximal end, connecting means on the proximal end of the cannula for connecting the cannula to a source of negative pressure, radially facing drain apertures near the distal end of the cannula, an axially facing drain aperture at the distal end of the cannula, a cylindrical substantially flexible casing surrounding said cannula, said casing having a distal end and a proximal end overlying the cannula continuously from the distal end to the connecting means on the proximal end thereof, a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced radially facing drain apertures formed through the wall of said casing throughout a substantial portion of the distal end of said casing, the distalmost drain apertures in said casing being spaced axially away from the radially facing drain apertures in the cannula, the distal end of said casing having an axially facing bore formed centrally thereof and spaced inwardly from the inner walls of said casing, said axially facing bore in the casing having a wall sealingly and permanently engaged with the distal end of the cannula on the external wall surface between said radial facing apertures and axial facing drain aperture of the cannula whereby said cannula is centrally spaced with respect to said casing, and a vent opening formed in said casing near the proximal end thereof for venting the space between the cannula and casing.

3 4 2. The medical drain of claim 1 wherein the radially facing casing are each provided with openings which are misaligned drain apertures in the cannula are formed in a generally 013- with the openings in the other.

4. The medical drain of claim 1 wherein the axially facing openings of the cannula are larger than the openings in the 5 casing.

positely facing set and wherein the radially facing drain apertures of the casing are formed in generally oppositely facing sets.

3. The medical drain of claim 1 wherein the cannula and

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