Collection system for surgical use

Inventors

Willard, Gretchen • Nichols, Eli Breeden • Blackburn, III, Thomas Ralph • Mosler, Theodore J.

Assignees

GILERO LLC

Interested in licensing this patent?

MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.

Publication Number

US-9872944-B1

Patent

Publication Date

2018-01-23

Expiration Date


Abstract

A surgical collection assembly for filtering material from liquid obtained during surgery. A jar having an inlet and an outlet each adapted for connection to a suction line. A set of orientation features to position an upper portion of a collection basket within the jar such that an upper portion of the collection basket does not impede a flow of material entering the jar through the inlet. A bottom surface with a pattern of recessed paths in the bottom surface, the pattern of recessed paths connected to the outlet. A plunger assembly that may be reversibly attached to the jar so that a distal end of a plunger may be used to compress collected material within the collection basket to help remove fluid from the collected material. For certain uses, the surgical collection assembly may have a simple jar lid without an integrated plunger.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a surgical collection assembly for filtering material from liquid obtained during surgery. The assembly includes a collection basket, a collection jar, and a plunger assembly, where the collection basket has liquid permeable portions and is sized relative to the collection jar so that a gap exists between the collection basket and the collection jar, and the gap is fluidly connected to a jar outlet.

The collection jar defines an open end reversibly sealed with a jar top and includes a jar inlet and a jar outlet located on a walled perimeter. The jar inlet is located closer to the open end than the jar outlet, and orientation features control a rotational position of the upper portion of the collection basket so that at least one basket handle does not impede a flow of material entering through the jar inlet.

Suction applied to the jar outlet pulls liquid and non-liquid material through tubing connected to the jar inlet, and much of the liquid leaves the collection basket through the permeable portion into the gap and then out the jar outlet, leaving collected material in the collection basket. The plunger assembly comprises a plunger with a distal end to compress collected material and a plunger rod that passes through a bore in the jar top so the distal end can compress collected material within the collection basket to help remove fluid.

The assembly is adapted to allow separation of the plunger assembly from the collection jar and removal of the collection basket to retrieve the collected material without disconnecting a suction line from the jar outlet and without disconnecting the section of tubing from the jar inlet so that a second collection basket may be inserted and additional collected material may be obtained.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim is clm-00001 and it includes 6 inventive features.

Suction-driven filtering with a permeable basket and gap to jar outlet

A surgical collection assembly adapted to allow suction applied to the jar outlet to pull liquid and non-liquid material through tubing connected to the jar inlet, where liquid passing into the collection basket leaves through a permeable portion to enter a gap between the collection basket and the collection jar and then out the jar outlet leaving collected material in the collection basket.

Gap fluidly connected to jar outlet with basket sized to form the gap

The collection basket is sized relative to the collection jar so that a gap exists between the collection basket and the collection jar, and the gap is fluidly connected to a jar outlet.

Jar inlet closer to open end than jar outlet with reversibly sealed open end

The collection jar includes a walled perimeter joined to a bottom surface defining an open end that may be reversibly sealed with a jar top, with a jar inlet located on the walled perimeter and a jar outlet located on the walled perimeter, where the jar inlet is located closer to the open end than the jar outlet.

Orientation features preventing basket handle obstruction of jar inlet flow

A set of orientation features to control a rotational position of the upper portion of the collection basket within the collection jar such that at least one basket handle on the upper portion does not impede a flow of material entering the collection jar through the jar inlet.

Plunger assembly compressing collected material through a bore in the jar top

The plunger assembly comprises a plunger with a distal end to compress collected material and a plunger rod to pass through a bore in the jar top so a proximal end of the plunger may be moved by a user, where the bore allows the distal end to compress collected material within the collection basket to help remove fluid from the collected material.

Retrieval and basket replacement without disconnecting suction line or inlet tubing

The surgical collection assembly is adapted to allow separation of the plunger assembly from the collection jar and then removal of the collection basket to retrieve collected material without disconnecting a suction line from the jar outlet and without disconnecting tubing from the jar inlet so that a second collection basket may be inserted into the collection jar.

Overall, the claim coverage focuses on a suction-driven surgical collection assembly that filters liquid and non-liquid using a permeable collection basket inside a collection jar with a gap leading to a jar outlet, prevents handle blockage via basket rotational orientation features, and uses a plunger assembly connected through a jar top bore to compress collected material while enabling basket retrieval and replacement without disconnecting the suction line or inlet tubing.

Stated Advantages

Allows separation and retrieval of the collected material and replacement with a second collection basket without disconnecting a suction line from the jar outlet.

Allows replacement of a collection basket without disconnecting the section of tubing from the jar inlet.

Helps remove fluid from collected material by compressing collected material with the distal end of the plunger.

Documented Applications

Filtering material from liquid obtained during surgery using a surgical collection assembly for separating liquid from non-liquid material during surgical procedures [application stated as part of the claim].

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

Stay Connected with MTEC

Keep up with active and upcoming solicitations, MTEC news and other valuable information.