Powered Lavage Handle and Associated Use Therefore

Abstract

A lavage handle for facilitating at least one of an irrigation function and a suctioning function at a target zone preferably includes a portable body, a power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism in communication with said body wherein said fluid-displacing mechanism has one of a first operating mode for inducing outward irrigation of fluid towards the target zone and a second operating mode for inducing inward suction of fluid from the target zone. An actuation mechanism is located at said body and operable communicated with said fluid-displacing mechanism such that said fluid-displacing mechanism is selectively operated in at least one of said first operating mode and said second operating mode. The actuation mechanism may include an irrigation-inducing mechanism and/or a suction-inducing mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lavage handle for facilitating at least one of an irrigation function and a suctioning function at a target zone, said lavage handle comprising:
 a body;   a fluid-displacing mechanism in communication with said body, said fluid-displacing mechanism having one of a first operating mode for inducing outward irrigation of fluid towards the target zone and a second operating mode for inducing inward suction of fluid from the target zone; and   an actuation mechanism located at said body and operable communicated with said fluid-displacing mechanism such that said fluid-displacing mechanism is selectively operated in at least one of said first operating mode and said second operating mode.   
     
     
         2 . The lavage handle of  claim 1 , wherein said actuation mechanism is disposed at least partially exterior of said body. 
     
     
         3 . The lavage handle of  claim 2 , wherein said actuation mechanism comprises: a multi-pole toggle switch. 
     
     
         4 . The lavage handle of  claim 2 , wherein said actuation mechanism comprises: at least one rheostat. 
     
     
         5 . The lavage handle of  claim 2 , wherein said actuation mechanism comprises: a spring-resistive trigger. 
     
     
         6 . The lavage handle of  claim 1 , wherein said actuation mechanism is disposed entirely interior of said body. 
     
     
         7 . The lavage handle of  claim 6 , wherein said body is formed from deformably resilient material. 
     
     
         8 . The lavage handle of  claim 7 , wherein said actuation mechanism comprises: a pressure-sensitive contact in communication with said deformably resilient material such that said fluid-displacing mechanism is operated when said body is biased to a tensioned state. 
     
     
         9 . The lavage handle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a feedback mechanism in communication with said fluid-displacing mechanism for notifying the user of at least one of said first operating mode and said second operating mode.   
     
     
         10 . The lavage handle of  claim 9 , wherein said feedback mechanism comprises: at least one transducer for generating and emitting at least one alert signal when said fluid-displacing mechanism is at one of said first operating mode and said second operating mode. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A lavage handle for facilitating at least one of an irrigation function and a suctioning function at a target zone, said lavage handle comprising:
 a portable body;   a power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism in communication with said body, said fluid-displacing mechanism having one of a first operating mode for inducing outward irrigation of fluid towards the target zone and a second operating mode for inducing inward suction of fluid from the target zone; and   an actuation mechanism located at said body and operable communicated with said power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism such that said power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism is selectively operated in at least one of said first operating mode and said second operating mode.   
     
     
         15 . The lavage handle of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a user-interface; and   a voice-activated mechanism operatively coupled to said actuation mechanism;   wherein, upon receiving a user input signal, said user-interface generates and transmits a corresponding control signal to said voice-activated mechanism for operating said actuation mechanism.   
     
     
         16 . The lavage handle of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a flow monitoring mechanism in communication with said power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism, said flow monitoring mechanism monitoring at least one of a flow pressure, flow rate, and a volume of the fluid passing through said body.   
     
     
         17 . The lavage handle of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an optics generating mechanism in communication with said body, said optics generating mechanism including at least one of a light source for illuminating the target zone and a camera for capturing a visual image of the target zone.   
     
     
         18 . The lavage handle of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a fluid storage container in communication with said power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism, said fluid storage container including at least one of an irrigation container and a suction container in communication with said body.   
     
     
         19 . The lavage handle of  claim 18 , wherein said first operating mode of said power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism causes fluid displacement from said irrigation container to the target zone;
 wherein said second operating mode of said power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism causes fluid retrieval from the target zone to said suction container.   
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method of utilizing a lavage handle for facilitating at least one of an irrigation function and a suctioning function at a target zone, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a portable body;   providing and communicating a power-operated fluid-displacing mechanism with said body, said fluid-displacing mechanism having one of a first operating mode for inducing outward irrigation of fluid towards the target zone and a second operating mode for inducing inward suction of fluid from the target zone;   providing and locating an actuation mechanism at said body; and   operably communicating said actuation mechanism with said fluid-displacing mechanism such that said fluid-displacing mechanism is selectively operated in at least one of said first operating mode and said second operating mode.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the steps of:
 accessing a surgical procedure; and   employing said lavage handle during said surgical procedure.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the steps of:
 accessing a surgical port; and   employing said lavage handle in conjunction with said surgical port.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising the steps of:
 obtaining at least one of a suction probe and an irrigation probe; and   employing said lavage handle in conjunction with said at least one of a suction probe and an irrigation probe.