GB2215302A

GB2215302A - Liquid reinfusion bag system

Info

Publication number: GB2215302A
Application number: GB8828527A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leonard D Kurtz; Joseph Licausi
Original assignee: Bioresearch Inc
Current assignee: Bioresearch Inc
Priority date: 1988-02-25
Filing date: 1988-12-07
Publication date: 1989-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 2008-12-07
Also published as: JPH025955A; DE3904164A1; AU606237B2; DE3904164C2; CA1326417C; FR2627697B1; GB2215302B; AU2632588A; FR2627697A1; JPH048057B2; IT8812614A0; GB8828527D0

Description

1 LIQUID REINFUSION BAG SYSTEM -17 25 4- The present invention relates to

a liquid reinfusion flexible bag system having an external supporting frame with releasable locking elements so as to permit the bag to be maintained in an opened position while the bag is being filled or permitted to collapse during reinfusion by releasing the frame locking elements.

It is well known in the prior art to provide flexible bags for collecting blood from a surgical site by applying suction to the bag, so as to draw the liquid from the surgical site into the bag. Such devices generally provide means for retaining the bag in an open position during the filling operation and for collapsing the bag during the reinfusion step. Such a device is disclosed in US Patent 4,500,308, issued February 19, 1985.

The prior art also discloses various means for supporting flexible bags externally, such as are shown in e.g. US-A-4,393,880; US-A-4,312,353; USA-4,650,478 and US-A-4,501,584. Such devices also include frames for maintaining the bags in an extended position such as disclosed in US-A-4, 44.9,969. However, such frames are expensive, difficult to handle and do not provide means for permitting the flexible bag to collapse when it is being emptied.

According to the present invention, there is provided a flexible bag having frame members integrally formed externally of the bag with crossed locking arms detachably 2 disposed on each end of the bag. When it Is desired to maintain the bag in an extended position, the locking arms on each end of the bag are engaged with the frame members so as to hold the bag in its extended condition. During use, when the bag is totally filled with blood drawn from a su. rgical site, the locking arms cab be detached from the frame so that, as blood is withdrawn from the bag for reinfusion, the bag will collapse to permit free flow of the blood from the bag and to prevent any possibility of air embolisms.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible container with means for locking the container in an extended position wherein the locking elements may be removed from the bag to permit the bag to collapse.

In a preferred version, the invention provides a flexible bag with integrally formed frame members disposed at spaced points around the periphery of the container with locking arms disposed at each end of the bag which may be moved between a locked position, in engagement with the frame members so as to retain the bag in an extended position, and an unlocked position wherein the bag may collapse.

An embodiment of the invention is now described in detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective elevational view of a blood bag incorporating locking means, embodying the present invention; 3 Figure 2 is an elevational view of the bag when filled with liquid, with the locking means disengaged from the bag and in disassembled position; and Figure 3 is a similar view showing the bag being emptied.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, there is shown at 1 in Fig. 1 a flexible bag of a generally cylindrical configuration having end walls integrally formed therewith. The bag is provided with an inlet tube 2 which provides a means for withdrawing blood from a surgical site into the bag through a filter 4 on the inner end thereof having a 170 micron mesh. A second tube 3 Is provided at the upper end of the bag for connection with a suction source. The inner end of the tube 3 is provided with a restrictor (not shown) which has openings sufficiently small to permit only air to pass through. opposite end of the bag is provided with an IV spike or reinfusion tube 5. The bag is also provided with a separate port 13 at the upper end for adding heparin or other substances to blood within the bag.

There is provided means for locking the ba-, in 'U g - Z 4L ' ly extended position and this means includes a plurality of spaced frame members 6 which are formed of a relatively rigid material and which may be integrally formed with the bag or alternatively may be secured, e.g., at each end portion thereof, to the flexible bag. At each end thereof the frame members 16 are provided with a pair of crossed Zi 4 locking arms 7 and 71. As shown in Fig. 2 the locking arms are connected together by central interengaging slots 11. One of each pair of locking arms 7 and 71 may be provided with finger apertures 12 to facilitate removal of the arms from the bag. These locking arms are provided with pins 8 on the outer ends thereof and these pins engage in openings 9 in the ends of frame members 6. In the specific embodiment shown, there are four frame members 6 spaced 900 apart around the periphery of the flexible bag 1. When the four locking arms 7 and 71 have the pins 8 in engagement within the openings 9 of frame members 6 at both ends of bag 1 as shown in Fig. 1, the flexible bag is maintained in its extended position. By providing separable locking arms the insertion of the arms on the bag is facilitated in that each arm is separately engaged with the bag.

When it is desired to permit the bag to collapse, the crossed locking arms 7 and 71 are removed from engagement with the frame members 6 so as to permit the walls of the bag to collapse as shown in Fig. 3.

In use the flexible bag 1 is extended to its open position by moving the locKing arms 7 and 71 into engagement with both the upper and bottom walls of the bag, w-ith the pins 8 in engagement within the apertures 9. The bag is supported in any convenient manner adj acent. to the patient and the outer end of the inlet tube 2 is placed at the surgical site. The tube 5 is closed off and the tube 3 is connected to any suitable source of suction. Blood from the surgical site will then be drawn into the flexible bag 1 C 1 3 c Aq 1 which will maintain its extended open position by the frame members 6 and locking elements 7 and 71 serving to prevent collapse of the bag. When the bag is filled the inlet tube 2 is clamped off and the suction tube 3 is removed from the 5 source of suction and clamped off. The locking arms 7 and 7-1"are then removed from engagement with the frame members 6. The reinfusion tube 5 is connected with an IV needle passing into the circulatory system of the patient. Blood will then flow from the bag 1 back into the patient through reinfusion tube 5. If necessary, external pressure may be applied to the bag to force the bag towards a collapsed position.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present system are possible in light of the foregoing teachings.

6

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A reinfusion bag including a flexible container having a side wall and top and bottom end walls, an inlet tube in the top end wall, an outlet tube adapted to be connected to a suction source in the top end wall, a reinfusion tube in the bottom end wall, a plurality of relatively rigid frame members disposed around the side wall of the flexible container and releasable locking means attachable to said frame members to extend across the top and bottom end walls for retaining the end walls of the flexible container in an extended position so that the container is maintained in an open position.

2. A reinfusion bag according to claim 1 wherein the locking means includes a pair of crossed locking arms on each end of the flexible container.

A reinfusion bag according to claim 2 wherein the end portions of the locking arms include pins and apertures are provided In the frame members whereby said pins engage said apertures to maintain the container in an open position.

4. A reinfusion bag according to any one of the preceding claimswherein the frame members are formed integrally with the flexible container.

5. A reinfusion bag having first portions of the bag 7 formed of flexible material, second portions of the bag being formed with relatively rigid material, inlet, outlet and reinfusion ports In said bag, and means releasably engageable with the relatively rigid second portions of said bag for retaining said bag in an extended uncollapsed position so that when said means is released and disengaged from said relatively rigid second portions of the bag, the flexible container is readily collapsible.

6. A reinfusion bag according to claim 5 wherein the releasably engageable means are disposed externally of said bag.

7. A reinfusion bag substantially as herein described and shown with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11 ed from The Patent Office Published 1989 atThe Patent Office, State House, 66'71 Hip Holborn, London WC1 R 4TF. Further copies maybe obtain 1z'-1'RTLF, 3RD. Printed b- v Mu2t-,plex techniques ltd, S' Mary Cray, Kent, Con. 1187