IE45939B1 - Improvements in or relating to liquid collectors e.g. urological drainage monitors - Google Patents

Abstract

A drainage monitor including a collector and a control unit. The collector has a lower, storage portion made up of elongated parallel chambers, a liquid manifold passage above the chambers with a plurality of taps aligned with the chambers, and collapsible conduits connecting the taps with with the chambers. The control unit includes an arrangement for supporting the collector, chamber valving apparatus aligned with the conduits and operable to compress them so as to prevent liquid flow, releasable solenoid-and-latch apparatus for preventing operation of the valving apparatus, and electrical timing circuitry for controlling the releasable apparatus in a predetermined sequence.

Description

This invention relates to drainage monitors and liquid collectors for use therein, and particularly to apparatus whereby medical personnel may collect and keep convenient and reliable record of the liquid output of a patient and extract samples of the liquid without campranising the sterility of the apparatus. The equipment is especially designed for monitoring the volumetric urine output of the patient at reqular hourly intervals, for example for a total period longer than the usual work shift of hospital personnel.

The importance of knowledge of the patient1s renal output is well-known in medicine. A knowledge of the volumes of urine excreted by a patient over particular periods of time is extremely helpful in the management of fluid imbalances or electrolyte abnormalities. In cases where the patient has been in shock and the renal function is questionable, as in severe burn cases, urine output measurement is very important. Also, in virtually any serious illness or injury or operational procedure where a reduction in blood volume is anticipated, accurate measurement of small urinary volume output is either mandatory or highly desirable. 45S3S Accurate urine measurements are an aid in recognizing the onset of impending post-surgical shock. For this reason, the urine volumes of many postsurgical patients are measured hourly, particularly those who have undergone cardiac, thoracic, neurological, or genitol-urinary surgery.

Numerous structures are known for monitoring the renal output of the patient, from a simple graduated cylinder at the end of the indwelling catheter to a highly mechanized arrangement such as that of Scott U.S. Patent 3,194,069, for example.

In a first aspect the present invention provides a liquid collector comprising: a storage section having a plurality of elongated chambers in substantially flat side-by-side relation for separately receiving and displaying liquid; a manifold section having an inlet for liquid, an elongated header connected to said inlet, and a plurality of liquid discharge openings positioned along said header; and valvable means (as hereinafter defined) connecting said chambers severally to said openings, for flow of liquid from each of said openings to the associated elongated chamber.

The term valvable means as used herein means a conduit which can be operated upon to prevent or to permit, as desired, passage of a liquid therethrough .

The collector of the first aspect of the invention is preferably used in conjunction with a control unit comprising: support means for suspending said liquid collector with said chambers extending vertically, and valving means positioned to coact with said valvable means thereby sequentially to enable and prevent passage of liquid therethrougn.

In a second aspect of the invention provides S 9 3 9 - 4 a drainage monitor comprising: (1) a substantially flat, liquid collector comprising: (a) a plurality of elongated, parallel cham5 bers in side-by-side, relationship; (b) a liquid manifold passing transversely of first ends of said chambers and having a plurality of taps spaced therealong in a predetermined sequence for separate connections to said chambers; (c) collapsible conduit means connected to conduit liquid from said taps to said chambers and, (d) a drip chamber affording an inlet connection to said manifold at one end thereof; and (2) a control unit comprising: (a) support means for suspending said collector with said chambers extending vertically; (b) chamber valving means positioned for alignment with said conduit means and resiliently operable into engagement therewith to thereby prevent passage of liquid therethrough; (c) releasable means for preventing operation of said valving means; and (d) control means for releasing said releasable means in said predetermined sequence to enable operation of said valving means. 45938 - 5 In a preferred form the invention has the advantages of completely automatic operation to collect in sequential chambers the excretions for ten successive hours, in a form resembling a bar graph or histogram for convenient observation. Provision can be made for sampling the liquid in any chamber at any time, in a closed or sealed system adapted either for emptying and re-sterilizing or for disposable use, the manipulations at the end of the total collecting period to prepare for a second collection period being simple, convenient and sanitary. Provision is made for applying a suction if this is desired, and the arrangement includes a control unit powered by a battery which is rechargeable for long service.

There is now described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, an apparatus comprising a liquid collector which is a preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention in conjunction with a control unit in a drainage monitor which is a preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus; Figure 2 is an elevation of the collector; Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, to a larger scale; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line 4-4 of Figure 1 to a larger scale; Figure 5 is a fragmentary view like Figure 4, showing a different position of parts; 9 3 9 - 6 Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the electrical circuit of the control unit; and Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus when in typical use.

As shown in the drawings, the monitor comprises a collector 10 and a control unit 11 which supports the collector and controls the flow of liquid thereto. As shown in Figure 2, collector 10 has an upper, manifold section 12 and a lower, storage section 13. The collector is formed of relatively rigid plastics such as a vinyl resin, and may be constructed from two sheets of material sealed together around their edges and at other locations as necessary. Each of front sheet 14 and back sheet 15 is preformed so that together they define the chambers and passages about to be described. Preferably, front sheet 14 is transparent and colorless, and carries volume graduations 16, while back sheets 15 is translucent and white.

Storage section 13 comprises the plurality of vertically elongated chambers 17 separated by spacing walls 20 and having individual upwardly directed nipples 21 at their upper ends. A common space 22 connects all the chambers near their upper ends, and a lateral opening 23 is formed in one end wall of the collector.

Manifold section 12 comprises an inlet connection in the form of a drip chamber 24 extending downward to a tapping point 25. This, and other tapping points are referred to below simply as taps. A generally horizontal passage 26 slopes slightly downward away from tap 25, to which it is connected at a sharp downward angle at 27. A plurality of further taps 30 extend downward from passage 26 in line with the nipples of chambers 17, in a sequence counting to - 7 489 39 the right from tap 25, the final tap 30a being in fact integral with the nipple of the final chamber. Taps 30 are not simple right angle connections, but are formed as at 31, so that liquid flowing to the right in the passage tends to flow into the taps rather than pass by them, as will be explained more fully below.

Cutouts 32 are formed in the front and back sheets between nipples 21 and taps 25, 30, and supporting apertures 33 are provided in the sheets at each end and centrally of the row of cutouts. A plurality of valvable means each comprising a collapsible tube 34 are connected at their upper ends to taps 25, 30, and at their lowest ends to nipples 21, so that liquid may flow from passage 26 into any of the storage chambers 17. Drip chamber 24 is formed at its upper end 35 to receive the end of an in-dwelling catheter or other liquid source, not shown, and outlet 23 is similarly formed to receive an overflow or suction tube, also not shown, or a pledget of cotton to prevent contamination of the collector, which accordingly acts in the closed or sealed mode.

Some or all of the chambers may be provided near their bottoms with external self-sealing patches 36, to permit an insertion of a sampling needle without subsequent leakage.

Control unit 11 comprises a metallic housing which encloses the battery and electrical circuitry of the system, and includes at its top a handle 37 by which the monitor can be conveniently carried or supported, from a bed rail, for example. Its front panel 40 carries a signal lamp 41, a battery control switch 39, and such other controls as may be desired for circuit refinements not pertinent to the overall invention here. The housing may also be provided with a connection for supplying charging energy for 58 3 - 8 the system battery, as is known in battery actuated equipment.

A plurality of support pins 42 project from the lower part of the front panel, spaced for engage5 ment with apertures 33 in collector 10, so that chambers 17 are below the unit, and a recess 43 may be provided in panel 40 to accommodate chamber 24, as suggested in Figure 4.

A bar 44 of rigid material is located outside collector 10 in the area of cutouts 32 and tubes 34, and is carried on pins 42: bar 44 may be separate and metallic, or may be molded as a portion of front sheet 14. In the figure, a removable metal bar is provided with slots 45 which fit into grooves 46 in pins 42, where it is held gravitationally by its own weight: alternative fastening methods may be used as desired.

A row of chamber valving means 49 extends across the bottom of unit 11 for alignment with tubes 34 of collector 10. For each tube 34, there is an actuator 50 urged towards the tube by a spring 51 and having a finger 52 which extends through an opening 53 in panel 40 to engage the tube. The force of springs 51 is sufficient to cause the fingers 52 to compress tubes 34 against bar 44 sufficiently to prevent the flow of liquid through the tubes, as shown in Figure 5 A cushion 54 is also provided.

Each actuator 50 is normally retained in the position shown in Figure 4 by means including a latch 55 pivoted at 56 and having a notch 57 to receive the tip 60 of the actuator. Movement of latch 55 is accomplished by a solenoid 61 mounted on a bracket 62 and having an actuator 63 pivoted to latch 55 at 64.

A cushion 65 is provided here also. Actuator 63 is normally retained, by the resilient means not shown, in the position shown in Figure 4. Notch 57 is square45939 - 9 walled, but the front top portion of latch 55 is curved downwardly at 66. Momentary energization of relay 61 pivots latch 55 to release actuator 50, the parts then taking the position shown in Figure 5.

Figure 6 is a schematic showing the circuitry contained in unit 11. Electrical energy for the various circuit elements is obtained from a battery 70 arranged for recharging through a connection 71, and controlled by switch 39. A timing circuit 72 of any suitable design supplies one pulse per hour on a cable 73 to a decade counter 74 of the type which resets itself to zero when de-energized. The zero count output of the counter 74 is not used: To each of the other outputs there are connected a monstable multivibrator 75 and a power amplifier 76, the latter being connected through a cable 77 to one of the solenoids 61. The solenoids are connected in sequence beginning with the one nearest drip chamber 24. Also connected to the nine count output of counter 75 is signal lamp 41.

It will be apparent that timing circuit 72 may perform further functions not involved in the present invention.

Operations A control unit having an adequately charged battery is carried to the site of use and secured by handle 37 to a suitable support, such as a bed rail. Bar 44 is removed, exposing openings 53, and actuators 50 are manually pressed inward until their tips depress latches 55 and are engaged by notches 57. A collector 10 is now supported on pins 42 by its apertures 33, and bar 44 is replaced in the grooves in pins 42. If desired, an overflow tube is inserted in opening 23 and an overflow vessel is provided therebelow, or a suction tube may be connected to 4SS38 opening 23 is the condition of use of the monitor warrants. The discharge end of an in-dwelling catheter or other liquid source is connected to the upper end 35 of drip chamber 24, and switch 39 is turned on, beginning operation of timing circuit 72. Liquid discharge drops through chamber 24, tap 25, tube 34, and nipple 21, into the first, lefthand chamber 17 of collector 10. Its quantity, color, and so forth can be visually observed, and if sampling is desired, a needle may be thrust into the chamber through patch 36 to extract liquid from the chamber.

At the end of an hour, timing circuit 72 supplies a pulse to counter 74, which in turn supplies a signal on the first count lead to mulivibrator 75, which acts through power amplifier 76 to energize solenoid 61 associated with the chamber valving of the lefthand chamber. Latch 55 is pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction, releasing actuator 50 to close off tube 34 by compression against bar 44.

At the end of the mulivibrator pulse, solenoid 61 is de-energized, but actuator 50 remains in its operated position. Liquid continues to drip into tap 25 until it fills with liquid, which then rises at 27 into passage 26 and flows into the first tap 30, which conducts the liquid through tube 34 and nipple 21 to drip into the second chamber 17. At the end of the second hour, timing unit 72 supplies second signal to counter 74, which now supplies an output on the second count conductor to cause the solenoid of the second chamber valving means to release its actuator, and this process continues.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing the appearance of the apparatus shortly after the end of the third hour. Liquid has been collected in the first three chambers, and the first three taps also contain liquid: newly excreted liquid now flows along 5938 - 11 passage 26 to drip into the fourth chamber. It will, of course, be understood, that the graduations on each chamber take into account the liquid trapped in the preceeding tap 30.

It will be evident that the monitoring system presents very clearly to medical personnel, in bar graph form, and natural color, the renal function of the patient, that sampling is available at any time without disturbing the patient or the monitoring equipment, and that liquid from the drip chamber cannot pass into a given collecting chamber until the taps leading to all preceeding chambers are closed and filled with liquid.

As shown in the drawing, collector 10 is provided with ten chambers 17, to allow for changing collectors once during each eight-hour shift for the nursing personnel. To perform the change, it is only necessary to turn off the switch 39, lift bar 44, disconnect the catheter tube at 35, and remove the collector with its contents. After manually resetting the actuators 50, a new collector is suspended on pins 42, bar 44 is replaced, the catheter is re-connected at 35, and switch 42 is then turned on. This is a clean, convenient procedure, causing minimum annoyance to patients and medical personnel. If such a regular changing procedure is followed, there is no need for an overflow tube or container.

Sometimes, however, emergencies arise which prevent the changing of the collector at eight-hour intervals. At the end of the eighth hour, flow of liquid is directed into the ninth chamber. At the end of the ninth hour, flow of liquid is directed into the tenth chamber, and lamp 41 is illuminated to attract the attention of medical personnel. At the end of the tenth hour, no further operation is possible from the valving apparatus, and the fluid 3 y 3 θ continues to pass into the last chamber until it overflows at opening 23. This opening also functions to afford egress for liquid poured from the collector at the end of its period of use. While it may be possible to clean and sterilize these collectors, it is more desirable simply to dispose of them in a suitable fashion.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the present invention provides, in a preferred form a new and wholly automatic arrangement for convenient and sterile monitoring of liquid discharges, particularly discharges of urine, from patients in hospitals, which enables ready inspection and sampling of the liquid collected, and is quickly and conveniently affixed to any hospital bed and easily used with a mininum of training by hospital personnel.

Numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention and the novel features thereof are pointed out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only. Control devices suitable for use with liquid collectors of the present invention are described and claimed in Patent Specification No. 45940.

Claims (29)

1. A liquid collector comprising: a storage section having a plurality of elongated chambers in substantially flat side-by-side relation for separately receiving and displaying liquid; a manifold section having an inlet for liquid, an elongated header connected to said inlet, and a plurality of liquid discharge openings positioned along said header; and valvable means (as hereinbefore defined) connecting said chambers severally to said openings, for flow of liquid from each of said openings to the associated elongated chamber.

2. A collector according to Claim 1, including support means for suspending said collector with said chambers extending vertically.

3. A collector according to Claim 1 or 2, in which said collector has a cutaway portion between each of said chambers and the associated one of said openings, and each of said valvable means connecting one of said openings to the associated elongated chamber comprises a collapsible tube spanning the respective cutaway portion.

4. A collector according to Claim 1, including passage means interconnecting first ends of said chambers.

5. A collector according to Claim 4, in which said passage means is continued beyond the end of the chamber remote from said inlet, as an outlet from said storage section.

6. A collector according to any of the preceding claims, in which at least a portion of the front 4 5839 - 14 of said storage section is transparent, so that the levels of visible fluid in said chambers give a visual appearance resembling a histogram.

7. A collector according to Claim 6, in 5 which a portion of the storage section opposite said transparent portion is white to provide a contrast against which to view a coloured liquid in the storage section.

8. A collector according to Claim 6 or 7, in 10 which said front portion bears graduations correlated with the volumes of said chambers measured from lower ends thereof when the chambers are vertical.

9. A collector according to any of the preceding claims, in which said header is configured to 15 conduct liquid to said valvable means only in a predetermined sequence, after passage of liquid to previous chambers in said sequence is prevented.

10. A collector according to Claim 9, including means preventing flow of liquid in said header 20 beyond the first chamber in said sequence enabled to receive said liquid.

11. A collector according to any of the preceding claims, in which said chambers and said header are integral. 25

12. A collector according to any of the preceding claims, in which said chambers and said manifold are of a vinyl plastic.

13. A collector according to any of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the said 30 chambers includes self-sealing means through which a 4S839 - 15 sample of the content thereof may be drawn by piercing.

14. A collector according to Claim 1, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A liquid collector substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A collector according to any of the preceding claims, in combination with a control unit comprising: support means for suspending said liquid collector with said chamber extending vertically, and valving means positioned to coact with said valvable means thereby sequentially to enable and prevent passage of liquid therethrough.

17. A collector according to Claim 16, in which said valving means includes a .timer which 3 valvaoTe means controls the time for which said / is enabled to pass liquid therethrough from each respective liquid discharge opening to the associated elongated chamber.

18. A collector according to Claim 17, in which the valvable means comprises, in respect to each of said chambers and the associated discharge opening, a conduit adapted for closure by means of a closure member; and the valving means for each of said valvable means comprises a closure member biassed for closure of the respective conduit and restraining means releasably to hold the closure member from closing the conduit, said restraining means being adapted to release the closure member after a predetermined time interval in response to a signal from the timer. - 16 43039

19. A collector according to Claim 18, in which said control unit comprises a housing containing said valving means and said restraining means,, and provided’ with apertures through which the valving 5 means can engage said valvable means.

20. A collector according to any of claims 16 to 19, including rigid means engaging the side of said valvable means remote from said control unit in alignment with said valving means. 10

21. A collector according to claim 20, in which said rigid means is integral with said storage section and said manifold section.

22. A collector according to Claim 16, in which the valving means includes 15 (a) Sctuator means normally operative to prevent passage of liquid through said valvable means (b) releasable means for preventing operation of said actuator means, and (c) able means control means for releasing said releasto enable operation of said actuator means

23. A drainage monitor comprising: (1) a substantially flat, liquid collector comprising: (a) a plurality of elongated, parallel 25 chambers in side-by-side, relationship; (b) a liquid manifold passing transversely of first ends of said chambers and having a plurality of tapping points spaced therealong in a predetermined / - 17 sequence for separate connections to said chambers; (c) collapsible conduit means connected to conduct liquid from said tapping points to said chambers, and (d) a drip chamber affording an inlet connection to said manifold at one end thereof; and (2) a control unit comprising: (a) support means for suspending said collector with said chambers extending vertically; (b) chamber valving means positioned for alignment with said conduit means and resiliently operable into engagement therewith to thereby prevent passage of liquid therethrough; (c) releasable means for preventing operation of said valving means; and (d) control means for releasing said releasable means in said predetermined sequence to enable operation of said valving means.

24. A drainage monitor according to Claim 23, in which said valving means are arranged to collapse said conduit means against a portion of said support means.

25. A drainage monitor according to Claim 23 or 24, in which said control unit comprising a housing containing said valving means and said releasable means, and is provided with apertures through which the valving means engage said collapsible conduit means. - 18

26. A drainage monitor according to Claim 23, 24 or 25, including rigid means engaging the side of said conduit means remote from said control unit in alignment with said valving means. 5

27. A drainage monitor according to Claim 26, in which said rigid means is integral with said chambers and said manifold.

28. A drainage monitor according to Claim 23, substantially as described herein with reference to 10 the accompanying drawings.

29. A drainage monitor according to Claim 23, substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings.