System and method for irrigation and tissue evacuation and collection

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for irrigating and collecting tissue from a body cavity in a patient. The system includes an irrigation and collection device for injecting an irrigation fluid into the body cavity. The irrigation device injects fluid into the body cavity by creating a positive pressure within the device to expel the irrigation fluid from the device into the body cavity. The irrigation fluid is evacuated from the body cavity by the resulting negative pressure within the device, drawing the irrigation fluid and any loose tissue or particulate material into the device. The irrigation fluid is filtered, collecting the evacuated tissue and particulate material in a collection receptacle thereby isolating the evacuated tissue and particulate material within the irrigation fluid.

1 . A medical irrigation and tissue collection system for introducing fluid into and withdrawing fluid from a body cavity via a fluid line, the system comprising: 
 a container having an interior for holding fluid;    a pump bulb in fluid communication with the container;    a tube having a first end portion connected with the fluid line and a second end portion in fluid communication with the interior of the container; and    a collection receptacle for collecting particulate material, the collection receptacle located within the interior of the container and removably connected to the second end portion of the fluid line,    wherein the collection receptacle is provided with a plurality of openings allowing the passage of fluid and particulate material smaller than a predetermined size.    
   
   
       2 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 1  wherein the second end portion has a perforated section with a plurality of pores allowing the passage of fluid and particulate material of a given size.  
   
   
       3 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of openings has an average opening size and the plurality of pores has an average pore size, the average pore size area being smaller than the average opening size.  
   
   
       4 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 2  further comprising a one-way valve operatively associated with the tube allowing fluid and particulate material to flow through the tube and pass into the collection receptacle.  
   
   
       5 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 4  wherein the one-way valve is coupled to the second end portion of the tube and includes a length of tubing collapsible under a pressure differential generated by the pump bulb.  
   
   
       6 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 5  wherein the collection receptacle is a mesh bag.  
   
   
       7 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 6  wherein the mesh bag is collapsible under a pressure differential generated by the pump bulb.  
   
   
       8 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 2  wherein the collection receptacle is a mesh bag.  
   
   
       9 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 8  wherein the mesh bag is collapsible under a pressure differential generated by the pump bulb.  
   
   
       10 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 9  further comprising a flow restrictor positioned above the mesh bag.  
   
   
       11 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 10  wherein the flow restrictor is a restrictor plate radially extending from the tube.  
   
   
       12 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 2  further comprising a cap removably coupled to the container.  
   
   
       13 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 12  further comprising a pump conduit having a first end portion extending from the cap and a second end portion coupled to the pump bulb.  
   
   
       14 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 13  wherein the pump bulb is threadably mounted to the pump conduit.  
   
   
       15 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 13  wherein the pump conduit extends downwardly from the cap.  
   
   
       16 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 15  wherein the collection receptacle is a basket made of a rigid polymeric material.  
   
   
       17 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 13  wherein the container has upper and lower portions with the cap removably coupled to the upper portion.  
   
   
       18 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 17  wherein the collection receptacle is located within the lower portion of the container.  
   
   
       19 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 18  wherein the upper and lower portions of the container are configured and dimensioned such that turbulent flow resulting from the pressure generated by compressing the pump bulb is higher in the upper portion of the container compared to the lower portion of the container.  
   
   
       20 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 19  wherein the collection receptacle is a basket made of a rigid polymeric material.  
   
   
       21 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 20  wherein a bottom of the basket experiences substantially no turbulent flow from the pressure generated by compressing the pump bulb.  
   
   
       22 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 17  wherein the cap defines a cap interior and turbulent flow resulting from the pressure generated by compressing the pump bulb is substantially limited to the cap interior.  
   
   
       23 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 22  further comprising a flow restrictor located between the cap interior and the upper portion of the container.  
   
   
       24 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 23  wherein the flow restrictor is a lipped portion of the cap.  
   
   
       25 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 23  wherein the flow restrictor is a restrictor plate radially extending from the tube.  
   
   
       26 . A medical irrigation and tissue collection system for introducing fluid into and withdrawing fluid from a body cavity via a fluid line, the system comprising: 
 a container defining a container interior for holding a fluid;    a pump bulb in fluid communication with the container interior;    a tube having a first end portion connected with the fluid line and a second end portion positioned in the container interior; and    a collection receptacle positioned in the container interior and connected to the second end portion of the tube, the collection receptacle including a plurality of openings allowing passage of fluid and particulate material smaller than a predetermined size therethrough,    wherein the container interior has upper and lower portions, the upper and lower portions configured and dimensioned and arranged with respect to the pump bulb such that turbulent flow generated by the pump bulb is substantially limited to the upper portion and the lower portion is substantially free of turbulence.    
   
   
       27 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 26  further comprising a pump conduit having a first end portion extending from the container in fluid communication with the upper portion of the container interior and a second end portion coupled to the pump bulb.  
   
   
       28 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 27 , wherein the pump conduit is configured to position the pump bulb below the upper portion of the container interior.  
   
   
       29 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 26  further comprising a cap removably coupled to the container.  
   
   
       30 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 29  wherein the tube includes a perforated section having a plurality of pores allowing the passage of the fluid and particulate material of a given size therethrough.  
   
   
       31 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 30  further comprising a flow restrictor located between the cap interior and the upper portion of the container.  
   
   
       32 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 31  wherein the flow restrictor is a lipped portion of the cap.  
   
   
       33 . The medical irrigation and tissue collection system of  claim 31  wherein the flow restrictor is a restrictor plate radially extending from the tube.  
   
   
       34 . A method of collecting tissue and particulate material from a body cavity in a patient, the method comprising: 
 positioning a medical irrigation and tissue collection device in fluid communication with the body cavity;    injecting an irrigation fluid from the medical irrigation and tissue collection device into the body cavity;    evacuating the irrigation fluid from the body cavity into the medical irrigation and tissue collection device, wherein the evacuated irrigation fluid includes tissue and particulate material from the body cavity; and    filtering the evacuated irrigation fluid to isolate tissue and particulate material within the irrigation fluid such that the tissue and particulate material is collected in a collection receptacle located within the medical irrigation and tissue collection device.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein injecting an irrigation fluid from the medical irrigation and tissue collection device into the body cavity comprises creating a positive pressure within the irrigation and tissue collection device into the body cavity, including creating a turbulent flow in an upper portion of the medical irrigation and tissue collection device, while maintaining a substantially turbulent free flow in a lower portion of the medical irrigation and tissue collection device.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein filtering the evacuated irrigation fluid to isolate tissue and particulate material within the irrigation fluid includes collecting tissue and particulate material in the lower portion of the medical irrigation and tissue collection device.  
   
   
       37 . A method of collecting tissue and particulate material from a body cavity in a patient, the method comprising: 
 coupling a bulb to a neck portion of a container for medical irrigation and tissue collection so that mechanical advantage resists decoupling of the bulb, the container being formed of a material to permit inspection of contents therein;    positioning the container in fluid communication with the body cavity, the container forming an enclosed space;    injecting an irrigation fluid from the container into the body cavity by applying pressure to the bulb to compress the bulb;    evacuating the irrigation fluid from the body cavity into the container by releasing the pressure applied to the bulb, wherein evacuated irrigation fluid includes tissue and particulate material from the body cavity;    inspecting the tissue and particulate material through the container while the container is in fluid communication with the body cavity.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the mechanical advantage comprises threads.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the threads are disposed on the bulb.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 collecting the tissue and particulate material in a receptacle disposed within the container.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the receptacle comprises a basket with openings therein to permit passage of irrigation fluid therefrom.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein irrigation fluid in the enclosed space flows in a first region having a first cross-sectional area disposed proximate the neck portion of the container and in a second region having a second cross-sectional area disposed proximate the receptacle, the container being configured and dimensioned with the first cross-sectional area being less than the second cross-sectional area so that flow of the irrigation fluid is more turbulent in the first cross-sectional area than in the second cross-sectional area.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 filtering the evacuated irrigation fluid to isolate the tissue and particulate material.