Waste control apparatus
Liquid jet surgical cutting apparatus ( 10 ) and a method of use thereof are described, the apparatus including a fluid reservoir ( 12 ) containing a supply of cutting fluid ( 14 ), a pump ( 16 ) to supply the cutting fluid to a liquid jet surgical cutting instrument, a liquid jet surgical cutting instrument ( 20 ), and a drain conduit ( 22 ) to receive and drain waste cutting fluid ( 14 ) and entrained debris wherein the drain conduit is operably connected to a waste canister ( 24 ), the waste canister having a vacuum generator ( 26 ) operably connected thereto to apply a vacuum to an interior of the waste canister and to the drain conduit.
1. Liquid jet surgical cutting apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a fluid reservoir containing a supply of cutting fluid;
a liquid jet surgical cutting instrument;
a pump configured to supply the cutting fluid to the liquid jet surgical cutting instrument;
a drain conduit to receive and drain waste cutting fluid and entrained debris, wherein the drain conduit is operably connected to a waste canister, the waste canister having a vacuum generator operably connected thereto to apply a vacuum to an interior of the waste canister and to said drain conduit, the waste canister also having a filter on an outlet port thereof;
a first pressure sensor operably connected to an interior of the waste canister, the first pressure sensor being configured to measure a pressure inside said waste canister; and
a second pressure sensor operably connected intermediate said filter and said vacuum generator, the second pressure sensor being configured to measure a pressure between said filter and said vacuum generator.
2. Liquid jet surgical cutting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the vacuum generator is an electrically powered vacuum pump.
3. Liquid jet surgical cutting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the filter comprises at least one selected from the group comprising hydrophobic, odor, and anti-bacterial filters.
4. Liquid jet surgical cutting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the waste canister is connected to the drain conduit by a valve.
5. Liquid jet surgical cutting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the waste canister has a gelling agent.
6. A method of using liquid jet surgical cutting apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a fluid reservoir containing a supply of cutting fluid;
providing a pump to supply the cutting fluid to a liquid jet surgical cutting instrument;
providing a liquid jet surgical cutting instrument; and
providing a drain conduit to receive and drain waste cutting fluid and entrained debris; the method further comprising the steps of:
operably connecting the drain conduit to a waste canister and providing the waste canister with a vacuum generator operably connected to the waste canister to apply a vacuum to an interior of the waste canister and to said drain conduit,
providing said waste canister with a filter in an outlet port thereof,
providing a first pressure sensor operably connected to an interior of said waste canister to thereby measure a pressure inside said waste canister, and
providing a second pressure sensor operably connected intermediate said filter and said vacuum generator to thereby measure a pressure between said filter and said vacuum generator.
7. A method according to claim 6 including the further step of operating the vacuum generator for all of the time while a surgical procedure is being carried out.
8. A method according to claim 6 including the further step of delaying cessation of the operation of the vacuum generator until a predetermined time after a liquid cutting jet has been stopped.
9. A method according to claim 6 further including the step of measuring a pressure differential between said first and said second pressure sensor to determine a waste canister full condition.