GB2260082A

GB2260082A - Suction device for bodily fluids

Info

Publication number: GB2260082A
Application number: GB9120366A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ruben Vincent
Original assignee: MEDASIL
Current assignee: MEDASIL
Priority date: 1991-09-25
Filing date: 1991-09-25
Publication date: 1993-04-07
Also published as: GB9120366D0

Abstract

The device, which is used to remove bodily fluids or the like during surgery, comprises a tubular sleeve 4 having a bore and an open-ended tube 1 (particularly a hollow needle) within the bore, the tube and sleeve being mechanically connected by means of an interference fit therebetween produced by, for example, crimping. The sleeve may be of deformable plastics or metal and may be connected to a Zoellner sucker tube and vacuum. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in or relating to Suction Devices This invention relates to a suction device and is concerned with such a device suitable for, for example, removing surplus bodily fluidslexudates or bodily solids such as bone or wax during surgical operations.

Suction devices for the above purpose are well known. A conventional device of this type is the Zoellner sucker tip. This comprises an open-ended tube of small diameter and located in the bore of a tubular sleeve whereby the tube may be connected to a Zoellner sucker tube which in turn is connected to a source of vacuum, It is known to manufacture such tips from metallic material and to secure the open-ended tube into the sleeve by soldering. However, this is a particularly time consuming technique which is not costeffective.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a device suitable for removing bodily fluids and the like during surgical operations which device comprises a tubular sleeve having a bore and an open-ended tube located within the bore, the tube and sleeve being mechanically connected together as a consequence of an interference fit between the tube and the sleeve.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a device as above defined, which comprises providing a tubular sleeve having a bore, inserting an open-ended tube into the bore, and reducing the diameter of the bore so as to mechanically connect the sleeve and the tube together.

The open-ended tube may be formed of any suitable material such as certain plastics materials or a metal, for example, surgical stainless steel, and the tubular sleeve may be formed of any suitable material which can be plastically deformed such as certain plastics materials or a relatively soft metal, for example brass.

The diameter of the open-ended tube will depend upon the purpose of use of the device. Typically, the tube may be from 18 to 26 S.W.G. (standard wire gauge). The mechanical connection between the sleeve and the tube can be achieved using a crimping machine arranged to exert pressure on diametrically opposite faces of the sleeve, after the tube has been inserted into the bore of the sleeve, so as to deform the sleeve into mechanical engagement with the tube.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-section through a device in accordance with the present invention, and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation, on a reduced scale, of an apparatus for producing the device shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a Zoellner sucker tip comprising an open-ended hollow tube in the form of a hollow needle 1 formed of surgical stainless steel. The needle 1 has first and second ends, 2 and 3.

The device also includes a tubular sleeve in the form of a brass ferrule 4 whereby the tip may be connected to a Zoellner sucker tube and thence to a vacuum pump (not shown). The ferrule 4 is of generally frustoconical shape and thus has a first end 5 of generally smaller dimension than second end 6. The ferrule 4 includes a bore in which the end 3 of the needle 1 is located.

In manufacture of the device, the needle 1 is inserted into the bore of the ferrule 4 so that its second end 3 is flush with the smaller end 5 of the ferrule 4. Thereafter, the ferrule 4 is plastically deformed so as to reduce the size of its bore and form an interference fit between the needle 1 and the ferrule 4.

The deformation of the ferrule 4 can be produced using a toggle action crimping apparatus as shown in Figure 2. The apparatus comprises a rigid frame 10 having a base 11 and an upper portion 12 located above base 11. A rod 13 is slidably mounted in the upper portion 12 of the frame 10 so that it is superposed above base 11 and is vertically displaceable with respect to the base 11. A sleeve member 14 is affixed to the lower portion of rod 13. Releasably mounted in the lower face of the sleeve member 14 is a jaw 15 including a downwardly facing part-cylindrical recess 16. The jaw 15 can be replaced by other jaws having different recesses 16 to allow for the production of sucker tips of different sizes.

Mounted on the base 11 of the frame 10 is a lower jaw 17 having an upwardly open part-cylindrical recess 18 in registry with recess 16 in the upper jaw 15. The lower jaw 17 is resiliently mounted on the base 11 of the frame 10 via a rubber block 19. The jaw 17 can also be changed to accommodate the production of different sucker tips.

A hand lever 20 is pivotally mounted at end 21 to the upper portion 12 of the frame 10 and a linkage member 22 has one end 23 pivotally mounted at a position intermediate the ends of the lever 20 and its other end 24 pivotally mounted on the sleeve member 14. Thus, lever 20 and member 22 fim a toggle mechanism whereby pivotal movement of the lever 20 about end 21 causes the sleeve member 14 and rod 13 to move vertically with respect to the frame 10.

In use, the needle 1 and ferrule 4 are assembled in the manner above described and the assembly is then located so that the ferrule 4 is positioned between the jaws 15 and 17. By pivoting lever 20 about pivot point 21, the upper jaw 15 descends and contacts the ferrule 4.

Thus jaws 15 and 17 apply a compressive force to diametrically opposite faces of the ferrule 4. The vertical disposition of the jaw 15 with respect to the rod 13 can be adjusted so that the force exerted between the jaws 15 and 17 upon movement of hand lever 20 is sufficient to plastically deform the ferrule 4 and reduce the dimensions of the bore thereby causing the ferrule 4 to make an interference fit with the needle 1.

Thereafter, the assembled needle 1 and ferrule 4 may be turned through 90 degrees and the crimping action repeated.

Generally, the sucker tip will be checked to ensure that the ferrule 4 and needle 1 are sufficiently well connected together. For example, this can be done by restraining the ferrule 4 and applying tension to needle 1. If it should be found that the needle 1 pulls out of the bore of the ferrule 4, the vertical disposition of the jaw 15 with respect to the frame 10 can be adjusted so as to increase the crimping force and the crimping operation can then be repeated until the device satisfies the tension test.

Claims

Claims:

1. A device for removing bodily fluids and the like during surgical operations, which device comprises a tubular sleeve having a bore and an open-ended tube located within the bore, the tube and sleeve being mechanically connected together as a consequence of an interference fit between the tube and the sleeve.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the tubular sleeve is a ferrule of generally frustoconical shape, having a first end and a second end and wherein the first end is of smaller dimension than the second end.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein one end of the tube is flush with the first end of the sleeve.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the open-ended tube is formed of plastics material.

5. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the open-ended tube is formed of metal.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the metal is stainless steel.

7. A device as in any preceding claim wherein the open-ended tube is a hollow needle.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tubular sleeve comprises a deformable plastics material.

9. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the tubular sleeve is of a deformable metal.

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein the metal is brass.

11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the open-ended tube has a diameter lying in the range 18-26 SWG (standard wire gauge).

12. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the tubular sleeve is connected to a Zoellner sucker tube.

13. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mechanical connection between the tube and the sleeve is produced by crimping.

14. The combination of a) the device according to each preceding claim, and b) a crimping machine which is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2.

15. A method for manufacturing a device for removing bodily fluids and the like during surgical operations, which method comprises the steps of: providing a tubular sleeve having a bore, inserting an open-ended tube into the bore, and reducing the diameter of the bore so as to mechanically connect the sleeve and the tube together.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of reducing the diameter of the bore is carried out by crimping.

17. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 or a method according to claims 15 to 16, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1.

18. A device made by the method of any one of claims 15, 16 or 17.