Medico-surgical instruments
The rear end of a dual lumen oocyte recovery needle is sealed in a plastics hub by means of two polyurethane seals compressed between the outside of the needle and opposite ends of a bore through the hub. The needle has an outer tube and an inner tube with a suction lumen along its length and which is deformed to provide a flushing lumen between its outside and the inside of the outer tube. A suction tube is joined to the rear end of the needle at the rear end of the hub in communication with the suction lumen. A flushing tube is joined in a side bore opening into the interior of the hub and communicating via a slot in the side of the needle with the flushing lumen.
1. A medico-surgical instrument comprising: a dual-lumen tubular member, said dual-lumen tubular member having a first and second lumen extending along its length; and a hub attached with said dual-lumen tubular member towards one end, wherein said hub includes a housing, said housing including first and second ports and a bore extending along its length between opposite ends of said housing, wherein said dual-lumen tubular member extends into said housing from one end along said bore, wherein said first port is in fluid communication with said first lumen, wherein said second lumen opens at said second port, wherein said hub includes an elongate annular sealing member of a compressible material embracing said dual-lumen tubular member, and wherein the natural external diameter of the sealing member is greater than the diameter of said bore such that when the sealing member is inserted in said bore at said one end it is compressed between said housing and said dual-lumen tubular member to provide a seal between said housing and said tubular member, wherein said dual-lumen tubular member extends in a second opening towards an opposite end of said housing, and wherein said instrument has a second annular sealing member of a compressible material embracing said dual-lumen tubular member and inserted in compression between said housing and said dual-lumen tubular member to provide a seal between said housing and said dual-lumen tubular member.
2. An instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said first port is located on a side of said housing.
3. An instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said second port is located axially of said opening opposite said one end.
4. An instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said dual-lumen tubular member has an opening formed in its side in communication with said first lumen and opening in fluid communication with said first port.
5. An instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said dual-lumen tubular member is of metal.
6. An instrument according to claim 5 , wherein said dual-lumen tubular member comprises an outer metal tube and an inner metal tube extending along said outer tube as a close fit, wherein a bore through said inner tube provides said second lumen, wherein said inner tube is deformed inwardly in a region extending along the length of said tube so as to provide a passage between an inside of said outer tube and an outside of said inner tube, and wherein said passage provides said first lumen.
7. An instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said housing is of a transparent plastics material.
8. An instrument according to claim 1 , wherein said sealing member is of a polyurethane.
9. A medico-surgical instrument comprising: a dual-lumen tubular member, said dual-lumen tubular member having a first and second lumen extending along its length; and a hub attached with said dual-lumen tubular member towards one end, wherein said hub includes a housing, said housing including first and second ports and a bore extending along its length between opposite ends of said housing, wherein said dual-lumen tubular member extends into said housing from one end along said bore, wherein said first port is in fluid communication with said first lumen, wherein said second lumen opens at said second port, wherein said hub includes an elongate annular sealing member of a compressible material embracing said dual-lumen tubular member, and wherein the natural external diameter of the sealing member is greater than the diameter of said bore such that when the sealing member is inserted in said bore at said one end it is compressed between said housing and said dual-lumen tubular member to provide a seal between said housing and said tubular member, wherein said instrument includes a flexible tube joined on an outside of said dual-lumen tubular member at said second port, and wherein an end of said tube extends in a recess in said compressible member.
10. An instrument according to claim 9 , wherein said flexible tube is of a resilient material that grips said dual-lumen tubular member more tightly as force is applied to pull said tube off said tubular member.
11. An instrument according to claim 9 including a colour-coded sleeve extending along said flexible tube where said tube is joined with said dual-lumen tubular member.
12. A dual-lumen oocyte needle assembly comprising: a rigid needle having first and second lumens extending along its length; and a hub mounted at a rear end of said needle, said hub including a housing having a bore extending along its length and a side port opening into said bore, wherein said needle is sealed with said housing at opposite ends by means of two elongate stoppers of compressible material at each end of the housing, the natural external diameter of the stoppers being greater the diameter of that when the stoppers are inserted in said bore are compressed between the outside of the needle and the bore of said housing to make a sealing contact between the outside of the needle and the housing, wherein said first lumen opens through a side port between opposite ends of said housing, and wherein said second lumen opens at a rear end of said housing.