Fluid evacuator system
A device is delineated for removing body fluid from a wound site. The device may include a drain sealed within the wound site, a conduit connected to the drain and a fluid container connected to the other end of the conduit. The fluid container may include at least one inlet passage of larger diameter to reduce likelihood of clogging during body-fluid inflow. An additional inlet passage may be included. The fluid container may also include at least one outlet passage of larger diameter to improve draining efficiency.
1 . A device for drawing fluid from a wound, the device comprising:
a container having an internal reservoir from which vacuum may be applied through a conduit to a wound; and
a passage in the container and to which the conduit is connected, the passage having a diameter greater than 3 millimeters and for transferring fluid from the conduit to the internal reservoir.
2 . The device of claim 1 further comprising the conduit.
3 . The device of claim 1 wherein the container is compressible and resilient.
4 . The device of claim 1 wherein vacuum is created by decompression of the container after the container has been compressed.
5 . The device of claim 1 wherein the container has an uncompressed shape of an ellipsoid.
6 . The device of claim 1 wherein the container is configured to be supported on a surface.
7 . The device of claim 6 wherein the configuration to support the container on the surface comprises a flat surface on an end of the container.
8 . The device of claim 1 wherein the container is configured to be attached to an article.
9 . The device of claim 8 wherein the article is near a patient with the wound.
10 . The device of claim 1 wherein the internal reservoir has a volume greater than 100 cubic centimeters.
11 . The device of claim 1 wherein the container includes markings to indicate a plurality of volumetric quantities of fluid that may be collected in the container.
12 . The device of claim 1 further comprising means for retaining the conduit to the container.
13 . The device of claim 1 further comprising valve means for blocking fluid flow from the internal reservoir through the passage.
14 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a second passage for connecting to a second conduit and for transferring fluid from the second conduit to the internal reservoir.
15 . The device of claim 13 wherein the vacuum may be applied through the second passage to the wound.
16 . The device of claim 13 wherein the vacuum may be applied through only one of the passages at a time.
17 . The device of claim 13 further comprising the second conduit.
18 . The device of claim 13 wherein the second passage is greater than or equal to 3 millimeters in diameter.
19 . The device of claim 17 wherein the second passage is 3 millimeters in diameter.
20 . The device of claim 13 further comprising means for retaining the second conduit to the container.
21 . The device of claim 14 further comprising means for blocking fluid flow through the second passage.
22 . The device of claim 13 further comprising a third passage in the container.
23 . The device of claim 22 wherein the third passage is greater than or equal to 3 millimeters in diameter.
24 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a valve that restricts fluid flow to one direction through the passage, the valve not comprising a duck-bill-type valve.
25 . The device of claim 24 wherein the valve comprises a flapper-type valve.
26 . The device of claim 14 further comprising a valve that restricts fluid flow to one direction through the second passage, the valve not comprising a duck-bill-type valve.
27 . The device of claim 26 wherein the valve comprises a flapper-type valve.
28 . A device for draining fluid from a wound, the device comprising:
a container having an internal reservoir from which vacuum may be applied to a wound; and
three or more passages in the container, one or more of the three or more passages being for connecting to a conduit so that vacuum may be applied to the wound, and one or more of the three or more passages being for expelling fluid collected in the reservoir.
29 . The device of claim 27 wherein one or more of the three or more passages is greater than or equal to 3 millimeters in diameter.
30 . The device of claim 27 wherein one of the three or more passages is 3 millimeters in diameter, another of the three or more passages is 6 millimeters in diameter and another of the three or more passages is 15 millimeters in diameter.
31 . The device of claim 27 wherein two or more of the three or more passages are fluid-flow inlets from the wound to the internal reservoir.
32 . The device of claim 27 wherein one or more of the three or more passages are fluid-flow outlets for one or more of draining and evacuating the internal reservoir.
33 . The device of claim 27 further comprising the one or more conduits.
34 . The device of claim 27 wherein the container is compressible and resilient.
35 . The device of claim 27 wherein the vacuum is created by decompression of a compressed container.
36 . The device of claim 27 wherein the container is configured to be supported on a surface.
37 . The device of claim 35 wherein the configuration to support the container on the surface comprises a flat surface on an end of the container.
38 . The device of claim 27 wherein the container is configured to be attached to an article.
39 . The device of claim 37 wherein the article is near a patient with the wound.
40 . The device of claim 28 wherein the internal reservoir has a volume greater than 100 cubic centimeters.
41 . The device of claim 27 wherein the container includes markings to indicate a plurality of volumetric quantities of fluid that may be collected in the container.
42 . The device of claim 27 further comprising means for retaining the one or more conduits to the container.
43 . The device of claim 27 further comprising means for blocking fluid flow through the three or more passages.
44 . The device of claim 27 further comprising a valve that restricts fluid flow to one direction through one of the three or more passages, the valve not comprising a duck-bill-type valve.
45 . The device of claim 44 wherein the valve comprises a flapper-type valve.
46 . The device of claim 44 further comprising a second valve that restricts fluid flow to one direction through a second one of the three or more passages, the second valve not comprising a duck-bill-type valve.
47 . The device of claim 46 wherein the second valve comprises a flapper-type valve.
48 . A device for draining fluid from a wound, the device comprising:
a container having an internal reservoir and a passage in communication with the internal, wherein vacuum can be applied through the passage to draw fluid from a wound and into the reservoir; and
a valve that prevents backflow of the fluid through the passage, the valve not comprising a duck-bill-type valve.
49 . The device of claim 48 wherein the valve comprises a flapper-type valve.
50 . The device of claim 2 further comprising a drain for insertion into the wound and for connection to the conduit.
51 . The device of claim 32 further comprising a drain for insertion into the wound and for connection to one or more of the conduits.
52 . The device of claim 48 further comprising:
a surgical drain for insertion into the wound; and
a conduit for connection at one end to the surgical drain and for connection at another end to the container.