GB2125296A

GB2125296A - Wound irrigator

Info

Publication number: GB2125296A
Application number: GB08320790A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Charl Mackechnie-Jarvis; Barry Oliver Weightman
Original assignee: MACKECHNIE JARVIS ANDREW CHARL
Current assignee: MACKECHNIE JARVIS ANDREW CHARL
Priority date: 1982-08-17
Filing date: 1983-08-02
Publication date: 1984-03-07
Also published as: GB2125296B; GB8320790D0

Abstract

A wound treatment device has an outer tube 12 and an inner tube 11 that extends within the outer tube along its length. One end of the device is located in a wound 14, the inner tube 11 projecting beyond the outer 12 by a short distance within the wound. A Y-shape connector 20 is joined to the other end of the outer tube 12. The inner tube 11 extends through one arm 23 of the connector 20 and is terminated by a coupling member 22 sealed with the arm 23. The interior of the outer tube 12 communicates with another arm 24 of the connector 20. In use, a source 26 of irrigating fluid is connected to the coupling member 22 so that fluid flows along the inner tube 11 into the wound 14. A drainage device 28 is connected to the other arm 24 of the connector so that fluid can flow out of the wound 14 along the outer tube 12. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wound treatment devices This invention relates to wound treatment devices.

The invention is more particularly concerned with devices having a conduit one end of which is positioned in the region of a wound so as to enable fluids from the wound to flow therefrom.

It is standard practice to use such drainage tubes to allow fluid such as blood and puss to flow from a wound, such as after surgery.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wound treatment device.

According to the present invention there is provided a wound treatment device having a first conduit one end of which is adapted for placement in the region of a wound so as to enable fluids from the wound to flow therefrom, the device including a second conduit one end of which is adapted for placement in the region of the wound so as to enable irrigation of the wound by a treatment medium supplied along the second conduit, and one of the conduits extending within the other of the conduits.

It is thought that wounds may benefit if they are irrigated, by means of a device of the present invention, with a treatment medium such as saline solution which may include an antibiotic, an analgesic, an anti-cancer drug, steroid or enzyme, as the case demands.

The second conduit may have a smaller diameter than said first conduit and said second conduit may extend within the first conduit along its length. The end of said second conduit within the wound may extent beyond the end of said first conduit within the wound. The device may include a connector to which the other end of both the first and second conduits are connected, said connector having a first port communicating with said first conduit and which is adapted to received a drainage device, and a second port communicating with said second conduit and which is adapted to receive an irrigation source.

The connector may be of substantially Y-shape, one arm of which provides said first port and the other arm of which provides said second port. The device may include an irrigation source coupled with said second conduit, and may include a drainage device coupled with said first conduit.

A wound treatment device in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partly cut-away drawing showing the device schematically in use; Figure 2 illustrates the manner in which the device is located in a wound; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation showing schematically a part of an alternative device.

With reference to Figure 1, the wound treatment device comprises a coaxial tubing arrangement 10 consisting of a small diameter (approximately 1 mm external diameter and 0.6 mm internal diameter) flexible tube 11 that extends within a large diameter (approximately 5 mm external and 4 mm internal diameter) flexible tube 12. The patient end 1 3 of the tubing arrangement is located within a wound 14 and, at this end, the small diameter, inner tube 11 projects from the end of the large diameter, outer tube 12 by about 20 mm or 30mm.

The wound treatment device also includes a connector 20 coupled to the other, machine end 1 5 of the tubing arrangement 10. The connector 20 is of Y-shape, one arm 21 of which projects within the machine end of the outer tube 12. The inner tube 11 is terminated at its machine end by a tapered coupling member 22 which is a sealed push fit within a second arm 23 of the connector 20. The third arm 24 of the connector 20 communicates with the interior of the large diameter tube 12.

The second arm 23 of the connector 20 provides an irrigation port for the device and, in use, is connected by tubing 25, to a source 26 of irrigation liquid such as a drip bottle containing saline solution or a mixture of saline solution and a therapeutic drug. The third arm 24 of the connector 20 provides a drainage port for the device and, in use, is connected by tubing 27 to a drainage device 28, such as a drainage bottle or a large capacity low vacuum suction unit.

The wound treatment device is located in the wound 14 in the manner shown in Figure 2. First, the blunt end of a large diameter needle 30 is attached to the machine end 15 of the outer tube 12. The needle 30 is used to locate the treatment device retrogradely by pushing the sharp end of the needle from inside the wound 14 outwardly through the patient's skin 31. The machine end 1 5 of the tube 12 is pulled through the opening in the skin 31 made by the needle, until only the patient end 1 3 of the tube remains in the wound 14. The needle 30 is then replaced by the Y-shape connector 20. The small diameter tube 11 is pushed through the irrigation arm 23, along the outer tube 12 until its patient end projects into the wound, and its coupling member 22 is sealed with the arm.The patient end of the inner tube may be positioned in the wound by the surgeon as desired to produce the most effective irrigation and drainage. It will be appreciated that the inner tube 11 could be fitted to the connector 20 prior to fitting the connector to the outer tube. The irrigation source 26 and the drainage device 28 are then coupled to the respective arms 23 and 24 of the connector 20. In this way, the irrigation fluid flows along the inner tube 11 into the wound 13.

Any fluids, such as blood and puss flow back along the tubing arrangement 10 within the outer tube 12 and into the drainage device 28.

The patient end of the outer tube 12 is provided with a series of small perforations 32 to enable fluid to flow out of the wound over a large area.

Similarly, the patient end of the inner tube 1 1 may be provided with perforations (not shown) to enable treatment fluid to enter the wound over a larger area.

If, following irrigation of the wound with the treatment medium, it is desired to stop irrigation but continue drainage this may be achieved simply by disconnecting the irrigation source 26 and sealing the coupling member 22 of the inner tube 11.

As an alternative to the Y-shape connector 20 described above, the connector 40 shown in Figure 3 may be used. In this arrangement, the inner tube 11 is sealed to the outer tube 1 2 at its machine end by a plug 41 having a luer-tapered bore 42. The outer tube 12 is formed with perforations 43 at its machine end. The connector 40 is of cylindrical shape and has a flexible sealing wall 44 at one end, with an aperture 45 through which the tubing arrangement 10 projects. The bore 42 of the plug 41 is shaped to mate with a luer-tapered spigot 46 on the inside of the connector, at its other end. The spigot 46 has a bore 47 which communicates with the inner tube 11 and opens at an irrigation port 48. The connector 40 also has a draingage port 49 which communicates with the interior of the connector and with the interior of the outer tube 12 via its perforations 43.In use, irrigation fluid is supplied to the port 48 and fluid is drained via the other port 49 in the way described for the arrangement shown in Figure 1.

A wound treatment device according to the present invention could be used in several different applications. For example, the device could be used therapeutically, such as to supply a controlled amount of antibiotic in a saline solution to an infected joint, bone or implant. The device could be easily used to treat intra-medullary infection in this way. The treatment of natural infections such as osteomyelitis - both acute and chronic - and septic arthritis, when bacteria have severely invaded a joint (especially a knee joint with its large cavity), it is thought may be carried out in this way. The device may also be used to treat iatrogenic infections associated with hip and knee prosthesis and fracture fixations, implants, nails and plates.

A second application possible is prophylactic, such as to remove debris after an operation.

Although it is standard practice to remove blood from wounds using vacuum drainage, conventional devices are liable to be blocked when blood clotting occurs. It is thought that the supply of irrigation fluid such as is possible with the present device may offer smoother haematoma removal.

The removal of bone fragments and other tissue scraps is also made more effective by the present device. This can be used to reduce the general level of post operative inflammation and scarring, and to reduce the scope for bacterial multiplication and, possibly, the predisposition towards ectopic bone formation.

The use of the present device also assists the removal of implanted bacteria and other contaminants which may have entered the wound during or immediately following an operation.

A third application is the feeding of drugs to a wound, such as antibiotics, analgesics and anticancer drugs. It is also thought that in general surgical fields, and in gynaecology, agents to break down scar tissues, such as steroids and enzymes could be fed to wounds by the present device.

It will be appreciated that devices could be made of different sizes for the treatment of other conditions. For example, a miniaturised version could be of use in treating problems found with the extremities, such as, tendon sheath infections.

Claims

1. A wound treatment device having a first conduit one end of which is adapted for placement in the region of a wound so as to enable fluids from the wound to flow therefrom, wherein the device includes a second conduit one end of which is adapted for placement in the region of the wound so as to enable irrigation of the wound by a treatment medium supplied along the second conduit, and wherein one of the conduits extends within the other of the conduits.

2. A wound treatment device according to Claim 1, wherein said second conduit has a smaller diameter than said first conduit, and wherein said second conduit extends within said first conduit along its length.

3. A wound treatment device according to Claim 2, wherein the end of said second conduit within the wound extends beyond the end of said first conduit within the wound.

4. A wound treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device includes a connector to which the other end of both said first and second conduits are connected, and wherein said connector has a first port communicating with said first conduit and which is adapted to receive a drainage device, and a second port communicating with said second conduit and which is adapted to receive an irrigation source.

5. A wound treatment device according to Claim 4, wherein said connector is of substantially Y-shape one arm of which provides said first port and the other arm of which provides said second port.

6. A wound treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said device includes an irrigation source coupled with said second conduit.

7. A wound treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said wound treatment device includes a drainage device coupled with said first conduit.

8. A wound treatment device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A wound treatment device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel feature or combination of features as hereinbefore described.