US3386444A - Surgical drain bag and support therefor - Google Patents

Description

June 4, 1968 o. R. BRENNER ETAL 3,386,444

SURGICAL DRAIN BAG AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 7, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVENTOILS' June 4, 1968 o. R. BRENNER ETAL 3,386,444

SURGICAL DRAIN BAG AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 7, 1966 5 Sheets' Sheet z INVENTORJ.

' 7a W %r /M June 4, 1968 b. R. BRENNER ETAL' 3,386,444

SURGICAL DRAIN BAG AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Nov. '7, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3- I mvamoas. ;7E; 10 {9% X7 5W Z2 whit ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,386,444 SURGICAL DRAIN BAG AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Orlestus R. Brenner and George L. Rescr, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to Ritter Pfaudler Corporation, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 311,741, Sept. 26, 1963. This application Nov. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 600,332

9 Claims. (Cl. 128-292) This invention relates to a surgical drain bag and support assembly for receiving bodily fluid draining from a patient during a medical examination or operation. The bag and support means of this invention are particularly intended for use with surgical and urological tables.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 311,741, filed Sept. 26, 1963, now abandoned.

In urological and certain types of surgical practice the patient reclines on a table which is positionable, with respect to its supporting stand, both in the vertical direction and about a horizontal axis. The physician or surgeon works at one end of the table, facing the K.U.B. tract area.

In examination and surgery upon the patient it frequently occurs that fluids drain in some quantity from the KUB tract, and it is therefore customary to provide some means for receiving or collecting the draining fluids.

In the past there has been provided for this purpose a metal drawer-like box which is pulled out from beneath the end of the table for collecting such draining fluids.

The drawer type of fluid collecting means has presented the disadvantage that it must be pushed back into the table as the doctor approaches the table more closely than permitted by the drawer in its fully or semi-extended position; the drawer must then be manually reopened as the doctor again steps back from the end of the table.

It has been a primary objective of this invention to provide a surgical drain bag and support assembly which in the normal position will present an adequate area for receiving or collecting draining fluids, yet which will gradually close with almost no effort as the doctor approaches the table more closely, and which will automatically reopen as he thereafter moves away.

In carrying out the primary objective of the invention it has been a further objective to provide a surgical drain bag and support means therefor which will present an increasingly greater vertical area of splash protection to the doctors person as he moves toward the examining or operating table.

Another object of the invention has been to provide a drain bag and modified support means therefor which can be moved, as desired, between fully open or drain position, through an attitude affording maximum splash protection, to a fully closed position in which the bag and support are completely out of the way, to afford maximum elbow room to the surgeon.

Another object of the invention has been to provide a sterilizable, disposable bag which can readily be attached to and removed from its support means on the table as needed, and which can be inexpensively manufactured.

The further details of the structure and use of the surgical drain bag and support means of this invention may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a urological table equipped with drain bag support means in accordance with this invention, and shows the surgical drain bag as mounted on the support means,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the end portion of the urological table shown in FIGURE 1 and "ice illustrates the manner in 'which the splash surface of the bag is moved upwardly and toward the end of the table to provide a greater area of splash protection for the surgeon as he moves closer to the table,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a surgical bag in accordance with the invention and shows the bag in open position,

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse section of the bag and illustrates the drain outlet at the bottom thereof,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating how the front edge of the bag is attached to the table,

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the end portion of a urological table provided with the bag support means and with the bag mounted thereon, the bag being in the normal, or maximum open, attitude,

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of a modified or articulated form of support in accordance with the invention, shown in extended position,

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the modified support, showing the support and bag in normal position, and supporting the doctors arms,

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 8, but showing the support in partially hinged or folded attitude for maximum splash protection, and

FIGURE 10 is a perspective View similar to FIGS. 8 and 9 but showing the modified support in fully closed or folded position, to give maximum elbow room.

A surgical drain bag in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the numeral 10 in the drawings. In FIGURE 1 the bag 10 is shown as mounted for use by the support means of the invention at the operating end of a surgical or urological table 11 which is provided with X-ray equipment. With the exception of the bag support means provided thereon, to be described hereinafter, the table 11 may be conventional. For illustrative purposes, a suitable table 11 includes a base 12, a table support column 13 extending above the base 12, and a patient table frame 16 which is movably connected to and supported by the column 13. As is conventional, the table frame 16 is equipped with adjustably positionable swingable knee crutches 17. X-ray apparatus 19 may be mounted to a tube support 20 above the table frame 16, and a Bucky diaphragm 21 is mounted in the table frame 16 beneath the X-ray equipment 19 for radiographic work.

It will be understood that the patient rests on the surface 22 of the table frame 16 with his knees supported by the crutches 17 in a position convenient for examination of the K.U.B. tracts, cystoscopy, transurethral surgery, etc. As shown in FIGURE 1, the surgeon or examining physician usually or frequently works seated on a stool at the end of the table. At the operating end the table surface 22 may be extended angularly downward for drainage, as at 23.

One form of support means for the drain bag 10 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6 and is hinged or articulately connected to table frame 16' adjacent to and below the end of the table or the angular surface 23 thereof, through frame structure designated generally by 27.

The bag 10 is best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, and is of inverted pyramidal form, having a front wall 30, a rear wall 31, side walls 32 and 33 and a bottom 34. (As used herein, front signifies the direction toward the head of the table, while rear signifies the opposite direction. It should be noted that opposite terminology is sometimes used in urological practice.) The width of the bag, i.e., the dimension between the sides 32 and 33 at the top, is preferably approximately equal to the width of the table surface 22. The front wall 30 of the bag extends upwardly above the upper edges 37 of the side walls 32 and 33 to provide an apron 38. At the upper or forward edge of apron 38 the sheet material is folded over and secured to 3 apron 38 to define a tunnel 39 which extends from side to side of the apron.

The rear wall 31 of the bag It extends upwardly above the upper edges 37 of the side walls to provide a splash surface 41. The splash surface preferably extends out about 8 inches from the edges 37. The sheet material is folded over at the outer edge 45 of the splash surface 41 and is secured to itself along its side edges 44 to form a pocket 42 which opens at its lower end 43.

The bag 10 may conveniently be formed from a blank of flexible water impervious sheet material such as .002 inch polyethylene, and may be assembled into the configuration described by conventional heat sealing techniques. In such fabrication, the side walls 32 and 33 may be sealed along their center or vertically bisecting lines. The tunnel and pocket portions may also be adhered by heat sealing.

A drain outlet opening is provided in bottom 34 of the bag 10. This outlet comprises a flanged, tubular drain coupling 47 which is secured into an opening in the bottom of the bag. A strainer 48 is fitted into the drain coupling 47 on the interior of the bag. As shown in FIG- URE 4, the strainer 48 may simply comprise a coil spring which is wound closed upon itself at its upper end.

The bag 10 is connected to the table frame 16 by means which cooperate with the tunnel 39 at the front of the bag and means which are engaged in pocket 42 at the rear of the bag. These means include, respectively, an elongated semi-flexible member or bendable flat strip or bar 54 which is passed through the tunnel 39, and a bail 55 which is inserted into the pocket portion 42 of the bag (see FIGURES 2, and 6).

The table frame 16 is provided with two spaced brackets, one of which is shown at 58 in FIGURES 5 and 6. The brackets 58 are positioned, for example, closely beneath and slightly forward of the table end or of the lower edge of the angulated surface 23 of the table. The spacing of these brackets 58 corresponds to the width of the apron 38 of the bag, and should preferably be about equal to the width of the table. Each bracket 58 is provided with a recess or aperture for receiving an end of the flexible strip 54. Projecting tips are formed at the top edge of the strip 54 at each end thereof for insertion into the recesses in brackets 58. The bag is connected along its forward edge to the table by slightly bending the strip 54 inserted into the tunnel 39, as shown in FIGURE 5, and seating its opposite ends in the respective recesses of the mounting brackets 58.

The splash surface 41 of the bag is supported in open position or attitude with respect to the apron 38 by the bail 55 previously mentioned. This bail 55 may be formed in heavy wire, and is generally U-shaped in the horizontal plane. It has two upwardly bent legs 59 which are approximately perpendicular to the over-all plane of the bail. The sides or limbs 56 of the U-shaped part of the bail are preferably bent slightly upwardly adjacent to the outer end 63 of the bail, as at 57 (see FIGURE 5).

At their respective upper ends the bail legs 59 are preferably turned inwardly toward each other as at 62. These inwardly turned tips 62 are inserted into and are swingable about a pair of pivots 60 provided on the table frame 16. With the bag removed, the limbs 56 of the bail can be sprung slightly apart and the tips 62 inserted into the pivots 60. The pivots 60 are preferably rearward of (i.e., away from the table surface) and slightly above the brackets 58 (see FIGURE 5) to provide for easier swingability of the bail. The pivots 69 are suitably mounted on a transverse brace 61 connected to the table frame, and as shown in FIGURE 6 this brace 61 acts as a stop against which the legs 59 of the bail ordinarily rest under the influence of gravity. Tension of the sheet material, which increases with the weight of fluid in the bag, holds the tips 62 in their pivots 6%). When the table surface 22 is horizontal the U-shaped portion of the bail 55 pref- 4 erably resides in such position that the outer edge 63 0f the bail is higher than the pivots 65 The projected length of the bail, that is, the distance from the pivots 60 to the ouer edge 63 of the bail, is such than when the strip 54 is inserted into tunnel 39 and is seated in its brackets 58 and the bail is inserted into the pocket 42, the bag hangs in open position as shown in FIGURE 6. Both the apron 38 and splash surface 41 slope downwardly toward the open mouth 65 of the bag.

By these support means 27 the drain bag 10 is held in such position that bodily fluids draining from a patient on the table surface 22 will run into the bag 10 off the angulated table surface 23 or will be directed into the bag from the apron 38 or splash surface 41. In use the drain outlet coupling 47 may be connected to a drain line, as shown at 67 in FIG. 1.

It may be noted in this connection that by reason of the diameter of the bail wire in relation to the thickness of the sheet material of which the bag 10' is made, the bail can provide, if the tension on the bag is not great, a slightly raised rim around the periphery of splash surface 41, i.e., around sides 44 and the outer edge 45 of the pocket. This rim helps confine fluid falling onto the splash surface 41 to prevent it from running over the outer edges of that surface and to cause it to drain into the bag. It will also be noted that the pliability of the flexible material reduces splash.

In normal open position the bag is held open by the bail so as to present a relatively large area in the horizontal plane to collect draining fluids. One of the important further advantages of the bag and bag support of this invention, however, is that the bag will yield as the surgeon moves close to the table, yet at the same time does so without reducing the effective area of protection and in fact by providing greater protection to the surgeon against splash. This feature of operation is shown in FIG- URE 2. As the surgeon approaches the end of the table more closely, the outer edge 63 of the bail is engaged by his chest and/ or arms and is lifted or swings upwardly about pivots 66. If the inclination of the table frame 16 is such that the outer edge 63 of the bail is slightly above the pivots 60, a force directed toward the table in the horizontal direction will of itself cause the bail to be swung upwardly around the pivots. As this occurs, the splash surface 41 of the bag slides up the chest of the surgeon toward a more vertical position, thereby affording greater splash protection to that area of his person. The force of gravity holds the bail against the chest, and the bail moves up easily as the surgeon approaches the table, providing no significant impediment to his free movement. As the surgeon steps away from the table, gravity automatically restores the bag to maximum open position in which the legs 59 rest against brace 61.

It can be seen from the foregoing description that, with the drain bag support shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6, as the physician moves toward the table the outer end 63 of the bail will swing in an are about the pivots 60, and that as the splash surface 41 rises it may tend to block or screen and thereby limit the operating room in close proximity to the patient. It can also be seen that the bag will not ordinarily remain in a position in which the bail legs 59 are swung upwardly from the frame member 61.

In FIGURES 7-10 there is shown a modified form of drain bag support means, in which the bail, rather than being connected directly to the table, is connected to the table by an intermediate member which itself is pivotally connected to the table. This embodiment will hold the bag in a closed position, yet without restricting the surgeons movement.

The drain bag used in connection with the support shown in FIGURES 710 may be identical with that previously described, and is designated at 10 and has a tunnel and pocket as previously described. In this embodiment, the bail 55 has upstanding legs 70 with inturned tips 71 at their upper ends (see FIG. 7). These tips 71 are pivotally journalled in apertures provided in spaced ears 72 mounted on a U-shaped wire member, bail or pivot 73. The U-shaped member generally designated by 73 includes parallel limbs 74 and a base 75. The spacing of the limbs 74 is slightly less than the spacing of the legs 70 of the bail 55, so that the tips 71 can be engaged in the ears 72. The ears 72 comprise sheet metal elements secured about the respective limbs 74 adjacent base 75, as best shown in FIGURE 7. At their upper ends, the limbs 74 are pivotally connected to pivot means on the table such as those designated by 60 previously described.

This doubly articulated connection of the bail 55 to the table permits the bail to be swung to a closed position in which it will remain, yet in which the splash surface does not block the operating area at all.

The normal attitude of the bag with the modified support is shown in FIGURE 8. Engagement of the bail legs 70 with the ears 72 and/ or limbs 74 prevents downward movement of the bail 55. In this position the bail 55 affords support to the surgeons arms, as shown in the figure. When a forwardly directed horizontal force is exerted upon the bail 55, the legs 70 thereof pivot about the tips 71, as shown in FIGURE 9, swinging the apron of the bag upward and forwardly to a position of maximum splash protection. If released from such position, the weight of the bag will swing the bail downwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 8. However, if the bail 55 and the bag are swung over center, to the position shown in FIG- URE 10, it will be seen that the splash surface comes to rest against the table end below the table surface. This affords the surgeon a maximum of elbow room; moreover, his movement is not restricted by the weight of the bag and the bail does not press against him. Detents such as those shown at 76 in FIGURE 7 on the ears 72 engage the legs 70 and hold the bail in such position until manually swung back.

It is contemplated that the surgical drain bag may be sterilized in manufacture so as to be ready for immediate use as needed. The bag being of inexpensive construction, it is disposable and can be replaced at low cost after each use.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to that form alone but also includes other variations and modifications falling within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In combination, a surgical drain bag and support means therefor,

said drain bag being formed of flexible, water impervious sheet material and having front, rear, and side walls, said bag being closed at the bottom and open at the top thereof,

said sheet material extending contiguously above the front wall thereby presenting an apron leading into the opening at the top of said bag,

means defining a tunnel extending from side to side of said apron,

said sheet material extending contiguously above the rear wall of said bag and thereby presenting a splash surface leading into the opening at the top of said bag opposite said apron,

means presenting a pocket on the underside of said splash surface, said pocket opening downwardly and being closed along the sides and top thereof,

said support means comprising,

an elongated member inserted through said tunnel from side to side of said apron,

bracket means receiving the ends of said elongated member,

a bail having a U-shaped portion and legs extending upwardly from the limbs of said U-shaped portion, said U-shaped portion having a shape and dimensions corresponding to the interior of said pocket,

, said U-shaped portion being inserted into said pocket,

pivot means journalling the legs of said bail for swinging movement about an axis parallel to said elongated member,

means limiting the movement of said bail about said axis such that said bail normally rests under gravity in an attitude holding said bag open,

frame structure supporting said bracket means,

structure supporting said pivot means,

said elongated member and bail respectively supporting said apron and splash surface in planes inclining downwardly to the opening at the top of the bag pendant therebelow.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said structure supporting said pivot means is provided on a surgical table.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said structure supporting said pivot means comprises a second U-shaped member which is itself pivotally connected at the ends of its limbs to a surgical table, said U-shaped member having pivots on the limbs thereof pivotally mounting the legs of said bail.

4. In combination, a surgical drain bag and support means therefor,

said drain bag being formed of flexible, water impervious sheet material and having front, rear, and side Walls, said bag being closed at the bottom and open at the top thereof,

sheet material extending contiguously above the front wall thereby presenting an apron leading into the Opening at the top of said bag,

the sheet material forming said apron being folded over and secured onto itself above said front wall to define a tunnel extending from side to side of said apron at the top thereof,

sheet material extending contiguously above the rear wall of said bag and thereby presenting a splash surface leading into the opening at the top of said bag opposite said apron,

said sheet material forming said splash surface being folded over at the top of splash surface and secured to said splash surface along the sides thereof to present a downwardly opening pocket,

outlet means in the bottom of said bag,

said support means comprising,

a flat, flexible strip inserted through said tunnel from side to side of said apron,

bracket means detachably receiving the ends of said strip,

a bail having a *U-shaped portion and legs extending angularly upwardly from the limbs of sad U-shaped portion, said U-shaped portion having a shape and dimensions corresponding to the interior of said pocket, said U-shaped portion being inserted into said pocket, said legs projecting upwardly above the lower end of said pocket,

pivot means journalling the legs of said bail for swinging movement about an axis parallel to said strip,

means limiting the downward movement of said bail about said axis such that said bail normally rests under gravity in an attitude holding said bag open,

the outer end of said bail residing in a horizontal plane which is above the horizontal plane containing said axis, whereby a horizontal force directed toward said tunnel on the outer end of said bail will cause said bail to swing upwardly about said axis, structure supporting said bracket means,

and structure mounting said pivot means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said structure mounting said pivot means is itself pivotally mounted to a surgical table for swinging movement about an axis parallel to said strip.

6. In combination, a surgical drain bag and support means therefor,

said drain bag being formed of flexible, water impervious sheet material and being generally of inverted pyramidal form and having front, rear, and side walls, said bag being closed at the bottom and open at the top thereof, said front wall extending above said side walls to form an apron, attachment means at the upper edge of said apron connecting the same at the end of a surgical table, said rear wall extending above said side walls to form a splash surface, means presenting a pocket on the underside of said splash surface, said pocket opening downwardly and being closed along the sides and top thereof, a bail having a portion inserted into said pocket, said bail having legs extending upwardly from said portion, colinear pivot means on the ends of said legs, means mounted to said surgical table journalling said tips for swinging movement about a horizontal axis above the walls of said bag, said bail engageable with stop means to limit movement of said bail about said axis such that said bail rests under gravity with said portion approximately horizontal, said portion being swingable upwardly from said stop means but not downwardly. 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said journalling means comprises a member connected to said table for swinging movement about an axis parallel to said first named axis, the tips of said legs being connected to said member over said rear Wall,

8. In combination, a surgical drain bag and support means therefor,

said drain bag being formed of fiex'ible, water impervious sheet material and having front, rear, and side Walls, said bag being closed at the bottom and open at the top thereof, attachment means detachably attaching the front wall of said bag beneath the end of a urological table, the rear wall of said bag extending above the upper edges of said side walls to form a splash surface, said rear wall being folded under at the top of said splash surface and secured to the underside thereof along its side edges thereby presenting a downwardly opening pocket,

angularly upwardly from the limbs of said U-shaped portion, said U-shaped portion having a shape and dimensions corresponding to the interior of said pocket, said U-shaped portion being inserted into said pocket,

inturned tips lying in a common line on the ends of said legs,

pivot means articulately connected to said table, said pivot means journalling said tips for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, said pivot means being swingable about a second axis parallel to said horizontal axis,

stop means limiting the movement of said bail about said horizontal axis such that said bail rests under gravity with said U-shaped portion of said bail holding said pocket and splash surface away from said attachment means,

said pivot means and stop means normally holding said bag in an open position with said splash surface extending away from said front wall, said stop means permitting said bail to move upwardly but not downwardly from said position.

9. A surgical drain bag formed of flexible, water impervious sheet material, said bag having front, rear, and side walls, said bag being closed at the bottom and open 5 at the top thereof,

a transverse, horizontal tunnel formed across the top of said front wall,

the rear wall of said bag extending above the upper edges of said side walls to form a splash surface,

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Examiner.

Claims (2)

1. IN COMBINATION, A SURGICAL DRAIN BAG AND SUPPORT MEANS THEREFOR, SAID DRAIN BAG BEING FORMED OF FLEXIBLE, WATER IMPERVIOUS SHEET MATERIAL AND HAVING FRONT, REAR, AND SIDE WALLS, SAID BAG BEING CLOSED AT THE BOTTOM AND OPEN AT THE TOP THEREOF, SAID SHEET MATERIAL EXTENDING CONTIGUOUSLY ABOVE THE FRONT WALL THEREBY PRESENTING AN APRON LEADING INTO THE OPENING AT THE TOP OF SAID BAG, MEANS DEFINING A TUNNEL EXTENDING FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF SAID APRON, SAID SHEET MATERIAL EXTENDING CONTIGUOUSLY ABOVE THE REAR WALL OF SAID BAG AND THEREBY PRESENTING A SPLASH SURFACE LEADING INTO THE OPENING AT THE TOP OF SAID BAG OPPOSITE SAID APRON, MEANS PRESENTING A POCKET ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID SPLASH SURFACE, SAID POCKET OPENING DOWNWARDLY AND BEING CLOSED ALONG THE SIDES AND TOP THEREOF, SAID SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING, AN ELONGATED MEMBER INSERTED THROUGH SAID TUNNEL FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF SAID APRON, BRACKET MEANS RECEIVING THE ENDS OF SAID ELONGATED MEMBER, A BAIL HAVING A U-SHAPED PORTION AND LEGS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE LIMBS OF SAID U-SHAPED PORTION, SAID U-SHAPED PORTION HAVING A SHAPE AND DIMENSIONS CORRESPONDING TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID POCKET, SAID U-SHAPED PORTION BEING INSERTED INTO SAID POCKET, PIVOT MEANS JOURNALLING THE LEGS OF SAID BAIL FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO SAID ELONGATED MEMBER, MEANS LIMITING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID BAIL ABOUT SAID AXIS SUCH THAT SAID BAIL NORMALLY RESTS UNDER GRAVITY IN AN ATTITUDE HOLDING SAID BAG OPEN, FRAME STRUCTURE SUPPORTING SAID BRACKET MEANS, STRUCTURE SUPPORTING SAID PIVOT MEANS, SAID ELONGATED MEMBER AND BAIL RESPECTIVELY SUPPORTING SAID APRON AND SPLASH SURFACE IN PLANES INCLINING DOWNWARDLY TO THE OPENING AT THE TOP OF THE BAG PENDANT THEREBELOW.

9. A SURGICAL DRAIN BAG FORMED OF FLEXIBLE, WATER IMPREVIOUS SHEET MATERIAL, SAID BAG HAVING FRONT, REAR, AND SIDE WALLS, SAID BAG BEING CLOSED AT THE BOTTOM AND OPEN AT THE TOP THEREOF, A TRANSVERSE, HORIZONTAL TUNNEL FORMED ACROSS THE TOP OF SAID FRONT WALL, THE REAR WALL OF SAID BAG EXTENDING ABOVE THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLS TO FORM A SPLASH SURFACE, SAID REAR WALL BEING FOLDED UNDER AT THE TOP OF SAID SPLASH SURFACE AND SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF ALONG ITS SIDE EDGES SO AS TO PRESENT A DOWNWARDLY OPENING POCKET ABOVE SAID SIDE WALLS, AND DRAIN OUTLET MEANS AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID BAG.

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