Fluid recovery system

Abstract

A thoracic cavity drainage device includes a first vessel having a plurality of chambers one of which is a regulated drainage chamber, and a separate transfer vessel which receives fluid collected in the drainage chamber of the first vessel. The chambers of both vessels are interconnected in a series by fluid passageways which cooperate to maintain a uniform range of suction in the drainage chamber while preventing passage of water into the drainage chamber and permitting a different level of suction in the transfer vessel. This operation is effective despite relatively large pressure and vacuum impulses caused by stripping of drainage lines, patient coughing, and the like, and despite discrete changes in the physical configuration of the system caused by disconnection of the transfer vessel, connection of the transfer vessel to an infusion line or the opening or closing of fluid lines and ports. A novel transfer vessel empties the drainage device and provides gravity reinfusion of the collected fluids. A mechanism within the transfer vessel provides an effective suction without vacuum connections or pressure regulating adjustments.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and secured by letters patent is: 
     
       1. A vessel for aspirating and collecting vital fluid, such vessel comprising i) a plurality of walls formed of polymeric material and defining an interior chamber having at least first, second .Iadd.and .Iaddend.third openings therein adapted for communication with the atmosphere, with a suction source, and with a vital fluid collection tube, respectively, said interior chamber being subdivided to provide a buffered volume of at least first, second and third successive intercommunicating sub-chambers having said respective first, second and third openings . .herein.!. .Iadd.therein.Iaddend.,   ii) first and second water columns included in said first and second sub-chambers for providing during normal operation first and second pressure differentials in said interior chamber effective to establish a unidirectional draw at each said first and third opening toward said second opening while correcting changes in pressure to maintain a desired subatmospheric pressure range in said third sub-chamber,   iii) said vessel having a volume and interior shape of intercommunicating passages between sub-chambers including . .a self-bailing structure above said second water column comprising means for intercepting and returning to said second water column water rising and water entrained in air bubbles, while bidirectionally allowing free passage of air past said self bailing structure, and a port above said self-bailing structure between said second and third sub-chambers, for absorbing energy of abrupt pressure variations of said third sub-chamber, and being operative with said water columns to effectively maintain uniform said desired subatmospheric pressure range.!. .Iadd.means in upper portion of said vessel extending from said second to said third sub-chamber and configured to allow passage of air back and forth through said upper portion while protecting integrity of the water seal during patient breathing cycles and during application of suction due to outflow of collected fluids from said collection chamber.Iaddend., said third sub-chamber also having a fourth opening at a lower portion thereof and a filter disposed in a flow path between said third and fourth openings, wherein said fourth opening is a closable . .outlfow.!. .Iadd.outflow .Iaddend.opening having a sterile connection for coupling to flow means, and   flow means for fluid interconnection with said fourth opening to deliver collected vital fluid therefrom, whereby fluids collected in said third sub-chamber effectively define a further fluid seal and vital fluid collected in said third sub-chamber may be continuously drawn from below the surface at said fourth opening for reinfusion without introducing pressure irregularity in said third sub-chamber or interruption of said aspirating and collecting.   
     
     
       2. A vessel according to claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of walls forms a face of said third sub-chamber and is transparent and the vessel further comprises an opaque mask defining a window array selectively positioned on said face to display the volume of filtered vital fluids. 
     
     
       3. A vessel according to claim 2, wherein said window array includes windows displaying portions of said water columns indicative of said first and second pressure differentials. 
     
     
       4. A vessel according to claim 3, further comprising a float ball in a said water column and visible through a window for indicating an anomalous suction condition in said third chamber. 
     
     
       5. A vessel according to claim 1, wherein said walls are constituted by two opposed wall pieces joined in a generally planar region and along generally linear strips within said planar region, said two opposed wall pieces being assembled by linear vibration welding along said strips. 
     
     
       6. A vessel according to claim 1, wherein said first water column constitutes a manometer chamber having first and second branches communicating with said first and second openings, respectively, and wherein one of said branches is constituted by a first fluid body of a first cross-sectional area located in a direct air flow path between said first and second openings, and   a second fluid body of second cross-sectional area located in fluid communication with said first fluid body and out of said air flow path,   whereby airflow induced evaporative loss from said manometer chamber is reduced thereby effecting more stable pressure regulation.   
     
     
       7. An improved system for drainage of fluids from the thoracic cavity of a patient, of the type wherein the system includes a closed vessel having, in sequence, a manometer chamber for setting a desired vacuum underpressure, a water seal chamber, and a collection chamber, said collection chamber having an inlet port at an upper region thereof and a pooling sump at a lower region thereof, wherein the improvement comprises a filter in a fluid path between said upper and lower regions for removing gross structures from thoracic cavity fluid aspirated through said inlet as it travels to said pooling sump without obstructing flow from said inlet port,   a closable transfer port defining an outflow path through an outer wall of said collection chamber at a lower region of said sump below the surface of fluid collected therein, and   means for sterile interconnection of a reinfusion device to said closable transfer port so that collected blood may be quickly withdrawn from below the surface of the collected fluid along said outflow path, wherein the water seal chamber and the collection chamber communicate with each other along a direct path through an open port interconnecting these two chambers to continuously equalized subatmospheric pressure therein, whereby collected fluids in said collection chamber are available for direct reinfusion by directly withdrawing fluid from said transfer port without interrupting the aspiration of thoracic fluid through said inlet.   
     
     
       8. The improved system of claim 7, further comprising a transfer vessel attached to said transfer port, said transfer vessel including means within the transfer vessel for establishing a second vacuum underpressure, so that withdrawal of collected fluid is accomplished by a single line which interconnects said transfer vessel and said transfer port. 
     
     
       9. The improved system of claim 8, wherein the transfer vessel has a microporous vent and a cover closing the vent, so that with the cover closed the vessel develops suction for effecting transfer of collected fluid to the transfer vessel, and with the cover open fluids transferred to said transfer vessel may be gravity infused from said vessel directly to a patient. 
     
     
       10. A disposable autoinfusion apparatus for the collection of fluids from the thoracic cavity of a patient and reinfusion thereof, said apparatus comprising a continuously aspirating collection unit comprising first, second and third serially-connected chambers, wherein said first chamber includes vacuum setting means for connection to a vacuum source and setting of a desired underpressure, said second chamber includes a water seal interposed between said first and third chamber, and wherein said third chamber includes an inlet for fluid flow connection to the thoracic cavity, an outlet in fluid flow communication with said second chamber, a lower pooling region for the pooling of fluid aspirated through said inlet, and also includes first and second access ports at said pooling region, said first access port being adapted for aseptically withdrawing a fluid sample from said pooling region and said second access port defining a conduit opening at a subsurface level of said pooling region, said third chamber further including a gross filter located below said inlet above said pooling region in an open flow path having an overflow path such that blood entering the inlet is filtered as it passes to the pooling region while blockage does not occur at said inlet and   means for selectively drawing fluid from said second access port and reinfusing said fluid while maintaining said desired underpressure in said collection chamber, whereby said pooled fluid from said collection unit is withdrawn from below the surface of fluid collected in said third chamber and is reinfused without interrupting collection from the thoracic cavity.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said means for selectively drawing fluid comprises a drain tube connecting said second access port to a mechanism for withdrawing and for reinfusing collected fluid from said pooling region. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said means for selectively drawing fluid comprises a flexible vessel attached to said second access port, said flexible vessel having an interior spring mechanism effective to create an internal suction by beating against the vessel walls, said flexible vessel further having a microporous vent which is opened to allow the vessel when disconnected from the access port to be connected for gravity-infusion of its contents into a patient. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said overflow path passes through a gross filter. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a barrier defining a further overflow path which is unfiltered. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising means for displaying a filter status condition. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the filter status condition includes an indication of fluid back-up. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said third chamber includes an upper chamber including said inlet, a lower chamber including said second access port, and a gross filter defining a permeable barrier between said upper and lower chambers, said upper chamber further having a vertically extending wall defining an overflow opening for the passage of unfiltered fluid from the upper chamber when the gross filter is blocked, thereby preventing vacuum blockages and consequent obstruction of flow through said inlet. 
     
     
       18. A drain device for draining blood and fluids from the thoracic cavity of a patient, such device comprising a multichamber vessel of a total volume comparable to the pleural volume of the patient, said device including a manometer for establishing a predetermined suction level, and wherein the multichamber vessel includes i) a collection chamber having an inlet port for connection to the patient, an outlet, and a pooling region, and   a water seal U-column having an inlet port connected to said collection chamber outlet, and an outlet at the manometer to normally sustain a predetermined suctional draw in said collection chamber toward said manometer, and wherein said water seal inlet port is spaced from said water seal column by a baffled path, and has dimension sufficiently small to modulate abrupt pressure variations in said collection chamber caused by patient spasms, thereby effectively preventing back flow from said water seal to said collection chamber, whereby blood collected in said collection chamber is substantially isolated from contamination from said manometer and said water seal U-column and remains suitable for reinfusion, said water seal inlet port being open so that subatmospheric pressure in said water seal is continuously equalized with subatmospheric pressure of the collection chamber, the outlet of the collection chamber being located at a subsurface level of the pooling region for withdrawal of collected blood and direct reinfusion of blood to the patent.   
     
     
       19. A drain device according to claim 18, further having at least one additional collection chamber and an additional inlet port separately communicating with said additional collection chamber, said water seal and manometer chambers being in suction communication with said at least one additional chamber whereby fluids from plural patient sites may be simultaneously and separately collected and monitored by said device.