Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M31/00—Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body
  • A61M31/005—Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body for contrast media

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for the oral adminis ration of a radioactive liquid.
• radioactive iodine for oral administration
• iodine-131 a radioactive substance for oral administration
• This radio ⁇ active iodine is given a patient to drink, for example, in the form of sodium iodide dissolved in water, either as a diagnostic, namely to provide information about the activity of the thyroid gland, or as a therapeutic, namely to control thyroid gland tumours.
• an adminis ration often is not very comfortable for the patient and moreover is not safe both for him/herself and for his/her environment. In fact, the possibility of spilling the solution given to drink is great.
• the invention relates more in particular to a device for the oral adminis ration of a radioactive liquid, comprising
• connection tube to communicate the interior of the holder for rinsing liquid with the interior of the reservoir
• suction tube which has such a length that one end can be provided in the interior of the reservoir and the other end, namely the suction end, can reach the patient's mouth.
• the shielding sleeve is usually manufac ⁇ tured from lead.
• a radioactive iodine-containing liquid safer for the patient and his/her environment.
• the reservoir for the radioactive liquid can be closed by means of a screw cap to replace the conventional closure.
• This screw cap is perforated to enable the ends of connection tube and suction tube to reach the interior of the reservoir, the construction permitting fixation of said tubes in the perforations in the screw cap in such a manner that the end of the suction tube extends deeper in the reservoir than that of the connection tube.
• the major disadvantage of the known device is that the conventional reservoir closure must first be removed before the screw cap with the set of tubes fixed therein can be provided. As a result of this, the person who makes the device ready for use in this manner is exposed to radioac ⁇ tive radiation for a considerable period of time. Moreover, radioactive liquid may be spilled during the said manipula ⁇ tions, which may also constitute a danger for the environ ⁇ ment. Another particular aspect is that, when using iodine- 131-containing liquids, contamination of the environment may take place as a result of the great volatility of this substance. Moreover, it is a difficult operation to provide a screw cap equipped with two tubes on a reservoir which is filled with radioactive liquid, which involves the danger that the tubes can move in the screw cap so that the hermetic seal may be lost and the return safety can be endangered.
• the device according to the invention which, as indicated hereinbefore, comprises a reservoir for radioactive liquid to be enclosed within a shielding sleeve, a holder for rinsing liquid, a connection tube and a suction tube, is characterized in that
• the reservoir is sealed by means of a pierceable rubber stopper ,
• connection tube and of the suction tube which permit communication with the interior of the reservoir, comprise hollow needles, and
• connection tube comprises a one-way valve to prevent radioactive liquid from flowing from the reservoir into the holder for rinsing liquid.
• the rubber sealing stopper with which such a reservoir is usually sealed hermetically and which is usually kept in its place by means of a flanged capsule.
• the rubber stopper can be pierced by means of the needles, in which the desired communications with the interior of the reservoir can be produced to make the device ready for use.
• a one-way valve is provided in the connection tube. In contrast with the return safety in the known device, this is a more convenient and absolutely safe facility.
• the device according to the invention preferably also comprises a tube sealing means, for example, a tube clip or some other means suitable for this purpose, to enable sealing of the suction tube between the hollow needle and the suction end.
• a tube sealing means for example, a tube clip or some other means suitable for this purpose, to enable sealing of the suction tube between the hollow needle and the suction end.
• the device made ready for use can always remain sealed hermetically up to the instant the patient will use it so that no radioactive substance can be released.
• the patient can simply open or remove the tube sealing means, after which he/she can take the radioactive liquid by sucking; in doing this the reservoir will be rinsed with rinsing liquid from the holder.
• the device according to the invention is constructed so that the shielding sleeve comprises two portions, namely (1) a sleeve-like portion which is open at its upper end and which at its lower end is accessible for the ends of the needles of connection and suction tubes, and (2) a lid having an upright circumferential edge or a thickened central portion, as a result of which the lid is movable telescopically over a given distance with respect to the open upper end of the sleeve-like portion; and that the sleeve-like portion is proportioned so that the reservoir with radioactive liquid can be accommodated therein in the upside-down position in such a manner that, prior to use of the device, the rubber sealing stopper bears on the ends of the above-mentioned needles present in said portion, the bottom of the reservoir projecting above the open upper end of the sleeve-like portion and the lid not adjoining the said open upper end but bearing on the bottom of the reservoir so that, when the device is made ready for
• the advantage of this preferred embodiment is the particularly simply and safe manner in which the device can be made ready for use.
• the rubber stopper is pierced by the needles, the desired communications being produced. So during making the device ready for use the reservoir with radioactive liquid remains safely enclosed by the shielding sleeve. After using the device for administering a dose of radioactive liquid, the emptied reservoir can simply be taken out of the reservoir by removing the lid from the sleeve-like portion of the shielding sleeve.
• the said device For the easy removal also of the tube set equipped with the needles from the above-mentioned preferred embodiment according to the invention it is advantageous to construct the said device so that at least one vertical groove is recessed in the wall of the sleeve-like portion of the shielding sleeve which groove is present in the proximity of the bottom of the said portion or extends downwards into the said bottom and which groove is proportioned so that the ends of the needles of connection tube and suction tube can be admitted therethrough to the sleeve-like portion.
• a "fresh" reservoir i.e. a hermetically sealed reservoir filled with radioactive liquid, may be introduced into the shielding sleeve in the same manner and a new tube set may be provided.
• the device then is in a position again to be made ready for use in the above-described manner and then to be used by a patient for taking a dose of radioactive liquid.
• the device according to the invention is constructed so that the needles of connection tube and suction tube are connected parallel to each other in a needle holder which, after providing the needle ends inside the sleeve-like portion of the shielding sleeve, engages the lower end of the said portion and thus fixes the needles in the upright position with respect to the said sleeve-like portion.
• the emptied reservoir in this latter preferred embodiment can easily be removed together with the tube set connected thereto by means of the needles. In doing this it is not necessary to detach the tube set from the empty reservoir, so that the safety of the device is further improved.
• the invention finally relates to a tube set for the above device according to the invention comprising a connection tube which is provided with a one-way valve and at one end with a hollow needle, and a suction tube which is optionally provided with a tube sealing means and which at one end also comprises a hollow needle and at the other end is optionally provided with a suction mouthpiece.
• the needles may be connected parallel to each other in a needle holder.
• This tube set is preferably disposable and is then replaced by a fresh tube set for each adminis ration.
• the needles of said tube set are manufactured from a metal or a suitable non-deformable synthetic resin, preferably from stainless steel.
• the tubes are of a suitable flexible material, preferably a rubber or a synthetic material, for example, a silicone rubber.
• the suction end of the suction tube may comprise a suitable mouthpiece preferably manufactured from a synthetic material .
• the lid 2 of the lead shielding sleeve 1 comprises an upright circumferential edge 3 which can move telescopically over a distance "a" over the externally narrowed upper end 4 of the sleeve-like portion 5 of the sleeve.
• a reservoir 7 for radioactive liquid is provided upside down in the shielding sleeve and bears with a pierceable rubber stopper 8 which is held in its place by a flanged capsule 9, on two needle ends.
• the hollow needles 10 and 11 communicate, through connection tube 12 and suction tube 13, with a cup-shaped holder 14 for rinsing liquid and a suction mouthpiece 15, respectively.
• a one-way valve 16 which passes liquid only in the direction of the reservoir 7 is incorporated in the connection tube 12.
• Suction tube 13 is provided with a tube clip 17.
• the device is placed on a suitable mount 18.
• the sleeve-like portion 5 comprises vertical grooves (not shown in the drawing) which extend downwards into the bottom and open into an aperture 6 through which the needles can be inserted within this sleeve-like portion into the position shown in the drawing.
• the reservoir containing radioactive liquid is placed inside the lead shielding sleeve so that the pierceable rubber stopper bears on the needle ends.
• said lid is lowered over a distance "a"
• the sharp needle ends piercing the rubber stopper of the reservoir.
• the embodiment shown in Figure 2 also comprises a reservoir 20 enclosed within a shielding sleeve 19.
• the device shown in this Figure has already been made ready for use, the hollow needles 21 and 22 of a tube set having pierced the rubber stopper 32 of the reservoir.
• the set further comprises a, schematically shown, suction tube 23 with one-way valve 24, also schematically shown, suction tube 25 with tube clip 26, and a needle holder 27 in which the needles are connected.
• the holder with rinsing liquid is referenced 28 and reference numeral 29 denotes the mount on which the device is placed.
• the lead shielding sleeve again consists of two portions, namely a sleeve-like portion 30 having an open lower end through which the ends of the needles can be admitted to the shielding sleeve, and a lid 31 which, during making the device ready for use, has pushed the reservoir downwards over such a distance that the stopper 32 of the reservoir has been pierced by the needles.
• the synthetic material holder 27 in which the needles are secured and which engages the open lower end of the sleeve-like portion of the shielding sleeve ensures that the needles are fixed in the upright position with respect to said sleeve-like portion and hence also with respect to the reservoir placed in the shielding sleeve.
• a holder of a synthetic material may be connected around the reservoir in a clamping manner, for example, as described in Netherlands Patent Application 7805066.
• a lead container 31 is further provided inside the mount. After use of the device the tube set including the reservoir which is then empty can simply be taken out of the device and be replaced by a fresh tube set and a reservoir filled with radioactive liquid.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Anesthesiology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=19852898

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Citations (4)

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• 1989
  • 1989-08-25 WO PCT/US1989/003487 patent/WO1990003200A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1989-08-25 EP EP19900901098 patent/EP0390916A4/en not_active Ceased
  • 1989-08-25 JP JP50183590A patent/JPH03501351A/ja active Pending
  • 1989-08-25 AU AU48325/90A patent/AU4832590A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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