US3636942A

US3636942A - Central venous pressure monitor tube support arrangement

Info

Publication number: US3636942A
Application number: US853263A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alice Wade Nye
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-08-27
Filing date: 1969-08-27
Publication date: 1972-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-25

Abstract

A support arrangement for a central venous pressure monitor tube to maintain the monitor tube in substantial vertical position and its lower end in a predetermined horizontal alignment with a predetermined portion of the torso of an animal. The support arrangement includes bracket means which enables the monitor tube to be adjusted vertically to align it with an animal torso and a level with a cord or chain attached thereto so that the lower end of the pressure tube can be horizontally aligned with a predetermined portion of the torso of an animal.

Description

Patent [54] OENTIRAL VENOUS PRESSURE 3,368,564 2/1968 Selix ..1211/34s MQNHTQR TUBE SUPPORT 3,495,585 2/1970 Halligan et al. 128/205 D H1 1 ARRANGEMENT Primary ExaminerWi]liam E. Kamm [72] Inventor: Alice Wade Nye, 7534 Greendowns, Attorney-Jack W. Hayden Houston, Tex. 770l7 7 [22] Filed: Aug. 27, 1969 [5 1 ABSTRACT A support arrangement for a central venous pressure monitor [2]] App! 853'263 tube to maintain the monitor tube in substantial vertical position and its lower end in a predetermined horizontal alignment [52] US. Cl. ..l28/2.05 D with a Pledetermined Portion of the torso of an animal The 511 11111. (:1. ..A6lf5/02 pp arrangement includes bracket means which enables 1581 Field olSearch 128/205 1), 2.05 B, 214, 34s; the monitor tube to be adjusted vertically to align it with 811 73/402 animal torso and a level with a cord or chain attached thereto so that the lower end of the pressure tube can be horizontally [56] References Cit d aligned with a predetermined portion of the torso of an animal. UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 2,866,453 12/1958 Jerett ..l28/2.05 D

lllllll|Illllllll\llltllllllllllllllfil'!lllllll BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a support arrangement for a central venous pressure monitor tube wherein the tube is aligned vertically to enable the central venous pressure to be visually determined at any time and also enables the central venous pressure tube to be adjusted vertically so as to align the lower end thereof with a predetennined part of the torso of the animal whose central venous pressure is being measured.

The invention includes a bracket means which has at one end an arrangement for engaging a central venous pressure monitor tube and which permits the tube to be adjusted vertically relative thereto, and which is provided at its other end with an arrangement for engaging a support member such as the wall of a room or other surface in a room or for engaging a vertical pole. An additional bracket means engages the central venous pressure monitor tube and a suitable level means is pivotally secured to the additional bracket means which is preferably arranged adjacent the lower end of the pressure monitor tube and is provided with a cord or chain attached thereto whereby the level may be raised so as to align the lower end of the pressure monitor tube with the desired portion of the torso of the animal whose central venous pressure is being taken.

2. Description of the Prior Art Applicant is not specifically familiar with any prior art relating to a support arrangement for a central venous pressure monitor tube; however, applicant is personally familiar with some types of arrangements which have been employed heretofore.

One type of arrangement, for example, is to tape the central venous pressure monitor tube to a vertical support member in a hospital room or intensive care unit, or in other situations to the vertical support member upon which is hung the bottle from which glucose is injected into a patients veins. This arrangement is extremely unsatisfactory in that the central venous pressure of the patient must be visually observed and possibly even recorded at predetermined intervals. In addition to this observation, it is necessary for the nurse or other party in attendance upon the patient to also collect samples of urine or possibly make other measurements or otherwise perform services for the patient.

In order to obtain an accurate central venous pressure read ing, the lower end of the monitor tube is preferably aligned and generally must be on the same general level with the right collecting well of the heart of the patient or animal. Normally, this is at approximately the juncture of the second rib with the breastbone. Heretofore, it has been necessary to endeavor to visually align the lower end of the monitor tube with the right collecting well of the heart of the animal or patient by endeavoring to visually align the second rib and its intersection with the breastbone. It can be appreciated that this arrangement is at best not conclusive nor is it conductive to movement of the tube when the patient or animal is either moved from the operating room to the bed or from one room to another, or even when the patient or animal assumes a different position in the same bed or table upon which it is positioned.

It can be appreciated that when the patient changes position either in the bed or table upon which he is positioned, or changes position from room to room, then the tube must be retaped and then must be visually realigned with the torso as hereinabove mentioned to endeavor to align the lower end of the tube with the right collecting well of the heart. This procedure is time consuming, inaccurate, and requires the nurse or party in attendance upon the animal or patient, if it is a human, to sometimes even get down on the knees and try to align the lower end of the monitor tube visually with the patient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a central venous pressure monitor tube support arrangement wherein the monitor tube may be vertically aligned so that central venous pressure readings may be taken of an animal when desired.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a central venous pressure monitor tube support arrangement wherein bracket means is provided for engaging the monitor tube and supporting it on a wall or other support member, and additional bracket means for engaging the monitor tube as well as level means pivotally secured to the additional bracket means whereby the lower end of the monitor tube may be manually aligned with the right collecting well of the heart by a cord or chain which is attached to the level and then stretched to the torso of the patient at approximately the inter section of the second rib with the breastbone.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a central venous pressure monitor tube support arrangement wherein the monitor tube may be moved vertically when desired to accommodate the movement of the torso of the patient in the bed and including level means which may be aligned with the lower end of the pressure monitor tube and a predetermined portion of the torso of an animal to more readily and more accurately obtain alignment therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1. is an elevation illustrating the support arrangement of the present invention including the bracket means and the additional bracket means with the level gpivotally secured on the additional bracket means and a valve means connected in the lower end of the monitor tube and also to a fluid conductor which in turn is injected in the vein of the animal or patient;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the preferred form of the bracket means of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred form of the additional bracket means of the support arrangement of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Attention is first directed to FIG. I of the drawings wherein the central venous pressure monitor tube support arrangement of the present invention is referred togenerally by the numeral 10. The monitor tube lll is formed of hollow tubular material and is provided with suitable markings IS on the exterior surface to indicate the displacement of water in the tube in centimeters or millimeters due to the pressure in the right collecting well of the heart when the central venous pressure is taken.

The support arrangement shown in FIG. ll includes a bracket means referred to generally by the numeral M and an additional bracket means referred to by the numeral 15, it being noted that two bracket means M are shown and one additional bracket means 15 is shown in the drawings.

The bracket means 14 is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings as including a central web to which is provided at one end with suitable means 17 for engaging and supporting the monitor tube llll therein. As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the means 17 at the end Ma of the central web 16 includes a longitudinally extending partially circular portion which is provided with the longitudinally extending slot 18 whereby the circular portion may be expanded radially if desired and then placed around the monitor tube 1111 or the monitor tube 1111 may be inserted through the opening B9 in the means 117.

The diameter of the opening 19 is smaller than the diameter of the monitor tube Ill so that the means 17 which extends at least partially circumferentially of the monitor tube 11 will tend to grip the tube 111 and retain it in position in the bracket means 14. The other end of the bracket means 14 which is connected to the end 161) of the central web 16 is provided with a circular extending portion 21 similar to the circular, longitudinally extending portion of the means 17 and is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 22 whereby the circular extending portion 21 may be expanded and positioned around a vertical support member which extends from the wall or from the floor of the room in which the present invention is used. Additionally, it will be noted that portions 23 extend laterally of the circular portion 21 to present

flat surfaces

26 and 27 upon which a suitable adhesive coating may be applied and protected by means of the tape or other removable coating 28.

Thus, the bracket means 14 may be applied to the wall of a room or to any other vertical surface by engaging the

surfaces

26 and 27 thereagainst or the bracket 14 may be carried on a vertical support member by engaging it within the portion 21. As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, two of the bracket means 14 are in spaced relation along the tube 11 to retain it in vertical alignment to obtain the desired central venous pressure reading.

In FIG. 3, the additional bracket means is illustrated in greater detail and is shown as including a circular portion 30 which is provided with a slot 31 and an opening 32 for receiving the monitor tube therein. Again, the opening 32 is preferably smaller than the diameter of the tube fitting therein so that the additional bracket means 15 will tend to grip the tube, but will not prevent longitudinal movement of the tube manually relative thereto to position the central venous pressure monitor tube at a predetermined vertical position therein.

The circular portion 30 if desired may be also provided with

ears

33 and 34 at its upper end so that if desired suitable means such as a rubberband or the like may be positioned therearound to further aid in holding the additional bracket means 15 adjacent the lower end of the monitor tube 1 1.

The partially extending circular portion 30 is carried on the arm 36 which in turn is secured to or integral with the vertically extending member 37 which is provided at its lower end with an additional arm 38 which extends in generally the same plane and parallel to the arm 36 but spaced relative thereto.

As noted in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the additional bracket means 15 is positioned adjacent the lower end of the pressure tube 11 and the arm 38 may serve as a support for the valve means indicated generally by the letter V which fits on the lower end of the pressure tube 11 as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The valve V is generally a three-way valve and is connected at one side to the conduit 40 which may be connected to a suitable saline or glucose solution for injection through the valve V and the conduit 41 into the veins of a patient if the animal is a human or into any other type of animal upon which the present invention is employed.

The end of the conduit 41 (not shown) is inserted in a vein of the patient, and the tube 11 may be provided with a suitable column of liquid such as water therein.

It will be noted that the additional bracket means as shown in FIG. 3 is provided with a pair of laterally extending, spaced members 50 to provide a means of pivotally supporting the level L by means of the ear 51 which fits between the supports 50 and is engaged therein by means of the pivot pin 52.

The level L is an ordinary type of level which includes the curved closed liquid filled portion 53 that is carried in a suitable container 54. An air bubble is shown at 55 in the liquid filled portion 53 and attached to or adjacent the end 56 of the housing 54 is a cord or chain 57.

Ordinarily, the animal such as a patient or other type animal will have positioned on his body at the proper location a piece of colored tape or other material with which the lower end of the pressure tube 11 must be aligned in order to obtain a proper central venous pressure reading. Thus, when it is desired to align the tube 11 after it is supported in the

brackets

14 and 15, the end of the cord or chain 57 is grasped and is manually positioned against the tape on the animal and the tube 11 then adjusted vertically until the bubble 55 is in the central portion of the container 53 indicating the level L and the portion on the animal are in horizontal alignment.

Generally, this horizontal position is the same level as the right collecting well of the heart of the animal and is approximately at the juncture of the second rib with the breastbone. After the tube 11 has been thus aligned, the level may be lowered to the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings and cord 57 wrapped around the bracket 15 as shown in dotted line in FIG. 3.

From the foregoing, it can be appreciated that when the patient moves, the lower end of the tube 11 must again be adjusted relative to the right collecting well of the heart of the patient or animal, and the present invention permits this by again aligning the level relative to the right collecting well of the heart by manually positioning the cord adjacent the second rib intersection with the breastbone.

When it is desired to take a central venous pressure reading,

the valve V is moved to a position so that the conduit 41 from the vein with which it communicates is communicated through the valve V to the pressure tube 11 whereupon the pressure existing in the right collecting well of the heart will be transmitted through the liquid in tube 41 and into the partially liquid-filled tube 11. The height to which the liquid level rises in the hollow tube 11 determines the central venous pressure. Generally, this pressure tends to increase with a heart failure and tends to go down when the patient or animal is in shock.

It is not uncommon for the central venous pressure of a patient or animal to be checked as frequently as every 15 minutes or even more often than this. Should the patient or animal move, or should he be moved or readjusted on a bed or on a table, it can be seen that the lower end of the tube 15 must again be adjusted to properly align it with the right collecting well of the heart in order that the pressure existing in the right collecting well of the heart will be transmitted through the view in which the tube 41 is injected and then to the column of water existing in the hollow tube 11. Generally, a normal reading is approximately 8 to l3 centimeters of water in the hollow tube 11. It can also be appreciated that the construction and size of the tube 11 is of a well-known and standard form and type.

Thus, the central venous pressure is taken to determine if it is too low, too high, or normal. The present invention permits the adjustment of the tube 11 readily and with a minimum of effort.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A central venous pressure monitoring apparatus includmg:

a. an elongated venous pressure monitor tube with markings thereon and having valve means in the lower end thereof;

b. bracket means having at one end a means for engaging and supporting said venous pressure monitor tube and having at its other end a means for engaging with a support member whereby said central venous pressure monitor tube is maintained in substantially vertical position, said bracket means being constructed so that said means at one end thereof which engages the central venous pressure monitor tube extends partially circumferentially of the tube and is of a smaller diameter than the tube and is provided with a slot whereby it grips the tube while permitting the tube to be slidably adjusted to any desired vertical position relative to said bracket means;

c. additional bracket means engaging and supporting said central venous pressure monitor tube; and

d. level means pivotally secured to said additional bracket means to enable the lower end of the central venous pressure monitor tube to be aligned with a predetermined portion of the torso of an animal, said level means includl. cord means for engaging with said level means and lifting it whereby said level and lower end of said central diameter than the support member whereby the other end of said bracket means grips said support member which permits said bracket means to be adjusted vertically of said support member merely by sliding it therealong.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said additional bracket means includes a support for a valve engaged in the lower end of the central venous pressure monitor tube.

Claims

1. A central venous pressure monitoring apparatus including: a. an elongated venous pressure monitor tube with markings thereon and having valve means in tHe lower end thereof; b. bracket means having at one end a means for engaging and supporting said venous pressure monitor tube and having at its other end a means for engaging with a support member whereby said central venous pressure monitor tube is maintained in substantially vertical position, said bracket means being constructed so that said means at one end thereof which engages the central venous pressure monitor tube extends partially circumferentially of the tube and is of a smaller diameter than the tube and is provided with a slot whereby it grips the tube while permitting the tube to be slidably adjusted to any desired vertical position relative to said bracket means; c. additional bracket means engaging and supporting said central venous pressure monitor tube; and d. level means pivotally secured to said additional bracket means to enable the lower end of the central venous pressure monitor tube to be aligned with a predetermined portion of the torso of an animal, said level means including: 1. cord means for engaging with said level means and lifting it whereby said level and lower end of said central venous pressure monitor tube may be aligned with a predetermined portion of the torso of an animal.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the other end of said bracket means which engages a support member is provided with an adhesive coating for engaging a wall surface.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the other end of said bracket means which is adapted to engage a support member is constructed to extend partially circumferentially of the support member and is provided with a slot and is of a smaller diameter than the support member whereby the other end of said bracket means grips said support member which permits said bracket means to be adjusted vertically of said support member merely by sliding it therealong.