Field

[0001] The present invention relates to suction devices., and more particularly to a suction device for removing fluid and solid materia! during a surgical operation.

Background

[0002] Suction devices are commonly used to evacuate fluid and solid material from a patient for a variety of surgical purposes, In orthopaedic use, suction devices are crucial in removing bone debris and other particles from the surgical site, which may otherwise obstruct the view of the surgeon during the operation, as well as recovering lost blood and irrigation fluid from the suTsical site.

[0003] Current suction devices comprise a suction tip configured to apply negative air pressure by connecting to a suction source.. Some suction tips are typically fitted with in-handle inline filters to trap the sucked-up debris so as to inhibit iarger particulate from obstructing the suction source. The inline filters are typically designed to trap large debris fragments,, which would otherwise tend to block the regular suction tube which is connected to the suction source.

However, a major disadvantage to the performance of current suction devices is that, in use, the inline filters themselves are readily prone to blockage, particularly due to rapidly clotting blood, and larger sized bone debris pieces that block the small diameter holes of the inline filters. In such circumstances, the suction devices need to be manually unblocked mid-surgery, wliich can be a cumbersome and time consuming process.

[0004] This often unforseen and poorly timed loss of sucti on leads to longer procedure times and consequently, longer anaesthetic times and adds considerably to surgeon delay and frustration mtra-operatively. It also detracts the surgeon from focussing on the surgery and on occasion the suction devices block at a crucial time during surgery, compounding the stress and frustration at a critical stage of an operation. Furthermore, the ongoing need to unblock and tamper with the current suction devices potentially leads to an increased risk of contamination . Object, of the Invention

[0005] It is an object of the invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or mot e of the above di sadvantages.

Summary of the invention

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a suction device for removing fluid and solid material during a surgical operation, comprising;

a handle having a proximal, end and a distal end, the handle proximal end having an opening connectable to a suction source;

an elongate tip attached to the handle distal end and having a suction tip opening at a free end thereof; and

a suction conduit extending longitudinally through the tip and the handle to define a suction path from the suction tip opening to the opening of the handle proximal end,

wherein the suction conduit has an increasing transverse cross-sectional area as it extends from the suction tip opening to the opening of the handle proximal end in at least one of the tip and the handle.

[0007] In one embodiment, the suction conduit has an increasing transverse cross-sectional area in the tip, In an alternate embodiment, the suction conduit has an increasing transverse cross- sectional area in the handle, in a further alternate embodiment, the suction conduit has an increasing transverse cross-sectional area in both the tip and the handle.

[0008] In one or more embodiments, the maximum cross-sectional area of the suction conduit in the tip is less than, or equal to, the minimum transverse cross-sectional area of the suction conduit in the handle.

[0009] in one or more embodiments, the suction conduit has a maximum internal diameter of about 10 mm.

[0010] in one or more embodiments, the suction condui t has a minimum internal diameter of about 4 mm. [0011] In one or more embodiments, the suction tip opening is elliptical in shape. In an alternate embodiment, the suction tip opening is circular in shape.

[0012] in one or more embodiments, the handle comprises an external thread located at, or adjacent to, die handle proximal end.

[0053] In one or more embodiments, the tip further comprises one or more holes at, or adjacent to, the tip free end.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, the suction device further comprises connecting means for attaching the elongate tip to the handle distal end. in one embodiment, the connecting .means is a snap lock connection. In an alternate embodiment, the connecting means is a twist lock connection .

[0015] in one or more embodi ments, the sucti on device farther comprises illuminating means disposed on the tip and located at, or adjacent to, the tip free: end.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the suction device further comprises cautery means disposed on the tip and located at, or adjacent to, the tip free end, for providing diathermy to a surgical site, in one embodiment , the cautery means is hi the form of a metal str ip.

[0017] A second aspect of the present invention provides a suction arrangement, comprising; a suction device comprising:

a handle having a proximal end and a distal end, the handle proximal end ha ving an opening;

an elongate tip attached to the handle distal end and having a suction tip opening at a free end thereof; and

a suction conduit extending longitudinally through the tip and the handle to define a suction path from the suction tip opening to the opening of the handle proximal end, the suction conduit having an increasing transverse cross-sectional area as it extends from the suction tip opening to the opening of the handle proximal end in at least one of the tip and the handle;

a filter having an inlet and an outlet, the filter inlet operatively coupled to the opening of the handle proximal end; and

a suction source operatively coupled to the filter outlet Brief Description of the Drawings

[001.8] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a suction device;

[0020] Fi gure 2 is a side view of the suction device of Fi gure 1 ;

[0021] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the suction device of Figure 2;

[0022] Figure 4 is a top view of the tip free end of the suction device of Figure 1;

[0023] Figure 5 is a front view of the tip free end of Figure 4;

[0024] Figure 6 is a perspecti ve view of another embodiment of a suction device; and [0025] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional, side view of the suction device of Figure 6. Description of Embodiments

[0026] Figures 1. to 5 show an embodiment of a suction device 10 for removing fluid and solid material during a surgical operation. The suction device- 10 includes a handle 1 1 having a proximal end 12 and a distal end 13. The handle proximal end 12 has an opening 14 that is connectahle to a suction source (not shown), which are readily available in hospital operating theatres. An external thread 15 is located at the handle proximal end 12 to provide for the connection of a hospital tube (not shown). The handle 1 1 also has a gri p portion 16 at a bottom end thereof with finger grooves 16a-d contoured to receive a user's grip. A series of transv erse ribs 17 are formed longitudinally along die top end of the handle 1 1 to facilitate gripping of the suction device 10.

[0027] The suction device 10 also includes an. elongate tip 18. The elongate tip 18 has a proximal end 19, attached to the handle distal end 13, and a free end 20. The tip free end 20 is bevelled and has a suction tip opening 21 through which fluid and solid material is collected, in this erabodirnent, the suction tip opening 21 is elliptical in shape. However, it is also envisioned that the suction tip opening 21 can be circular in shape, la this embodiment, the outer surface of the tip proximal end 19 is contiguous with the outer surface of the handle distal end 13. The suction device 10 has a generally arcuate shape.

[0028] As best shown in Figure 3, _: a suction conduit 22 extends longitudinally through the tip 18 and the handle 1 1 to define a suction path from the suction tip opening 21 to the opening 14 of the handle proximal end 12. The suction conduit 22 has an increasing transverse cross-sectional area in the tip 18 as it extends from the suction tip opening 21 to the handle proximal end 12. Put. another way , the small est transverse cross-sectional area of the suction conduit 22 is located at the suction tip opening 21. The suction conduit 22 has a maximum internal diameter of about 10 mm, and a minimum internal diameter of about 4 mm at the tip free end 20.

[0029] As illustrated in. Figures 4 and 5, two bore holes 23a, 23b are located adjacent to. the tip free end 20. The holes 23a, 23b provide fluid communication between the interior of the suction conduit 22 to atmosphere. In use, it is envisioned that, there may be instances in which the suction tip opening 21 may be obstructed by large debris, such as bone, in such an event, fluids can continue to be evacuated from the surgical site through the holes 23a, 23b. Thus, preventing cessation of suction through the suction device 10 intra-operatively.

[0030] It is also envisioned that an external inline filter (not shown) may be fitted between the suction device 10 and the suction source (not shown) to facilitate the break-up of larger sized debris collected by the suction device 10. In one embodiment, the inline filter comprises an inlet port and an outlet port. The inlet port may be connected to the handle proximal end 12 via a first wide diameter tubing. The first tubing has an internal diameter equal to or larger than the openi ng 14 of the handle proximal end 1,2. The outlet port may be connected to the suction source via regular hospital tubing. The inline filter further comprises a. reservoir and a filter grid having a large surface area. The filter grid has a filter grid size smaller than the outlet port such that large debris remain trapped by the filter grid, whilst fluid and small debris pass freely through the filter grid and into a hospital supplied reservoir trap. It is envisioned that the inline filter may be of differing shapes and sizes to accommodate various surgical procedures an d varying reservoir volumes. It is also envisioned that die inline filter may have at least a sticky surface to prevent inadvertent movement or falling on the floor. [0031] Figures 6 and 7 show another embodiment of a suction device, The suction device is similar to that shown in Figure 1 and like features have been indicated with like reference numerals. However, the elongate tip 24 is attached to the handle 1 1 via connecting means 26, located adjacent to the proximal end 25 of the tip 24. The tip proximal end 25 is received w ithin the handle distal end 13. In this embodiment, the eonnecting means 26 is in the form of a snap lock connection, in another embodiment, the connecting means 26 is in the form of a twist lock connection.

[0032] The embodiments described above have numerous advantages. Firstly, the increasing cross-sectional area of the suction conduit substantially prevents of eliminates blockage in the suction device. As the smallest transverse cross-sectional area of the suction condui t is at the suction tip opening; any debris that is able to enter the suction tip opening will inevitably pass through the rest of the suction conduit. The suction device thus does not need to be unblocked raid-surgery, allowing uninterrupted suction performance . Any blockage that does occur at ^' the suction tip opening can be cleared by simple tamping of the tip free end. Secondly, the modular configuration of the suction device allows various tips to be fitted for specific surgical ^" purposes.

[0033] In other embodiments, the suction conduit has an increasing cross-sectional area in the handle, or in both the tip and the handle. In other embodiments, the suction device includes illuminating means disposed on the tip and located at, or adjacent to, the tip free end, for providing a source of light to a surgical site, in other embodiments, the suction device includes cautery means disposed on the tip and located at, or adjacent to, the tip free end, for providing diathermy to a surgical site. The cautery means may be in the form of a metal strip, ft is al so envisioned that smaller diameter conduits may be devised for smaller operation sites and for such modifications, no inline filter is required as these areas typically do not usually have bony debris which tends to block as in large surgical, procedures.

[0034] Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.