ES2958529A1 - Device for conservation of biological samples - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for preserving biological tissue samples by using a preservative liquid from a tank, without exposing the personnel handling the sample to said liquid, comprising: a container with an internal space in which the sample is housed, an upper zone and a lower zone; an upper cover that incorporates an inlet that communicates with the internal space and a lower cover that incorporates an outlet that communicates with the internal space; where the device also comprises two anti-reflux valves located in the inlet and outlet mouths, and a flexible bellows wall that encloses the internal space and that extends from the upper zone to the lower zone of the container, which is extendable by the action of a user, allowing the entry of liquid into the internal space.

Description

DESCRIPTION

DEVICE FOR CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention falls within the technological field of medicine, specifically in the sector of devices for collecting biological samples.

The present invention refers to a device for collecting biological samples that allows the conservation and/or washing of said biological samples in a sealed manner by using a preservative liquid, preferably formalin, and/or subsequently a washing liquid, preventing exposure of the user to said preservative liquid, avoiding possible diseases derived from such exposure to formaldehyde.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A biopsy is a tissue sample taken from a patient, for diagnostic purposes, of very diverse sizes and types. The smaller ones consist of small portions of tissue, for example, obtained by puncture, portions of skin or mucosa, vocal cords or bone chips.

The largest samples consist of whole organs, also called surgical pieces, that have been obtained in surgical interventions during the treatment of a disease or previously, for diagnostic purposes, for the treatment of said disease; or in an autopsy

Formol, as mentioned, has been and continues to be one of the most used substances for fixing biological samples, such as tissues. Tissue fixation consists of the interruption of the degradation processes that appear after cell death, but in such a way that the architecture and composition of the tissue is preserved as it was in the living organism. Formol, also called formalin, is used in the hospital setting, as a commercial solution composed of formaldehyde, water and, sometimes, methanol.

The ideal fixative for tissue samples in the vast majority of cases is a preservative liquid: 10% formalin buffered with sodium acetate. The quality of the fixative is essential.

For optimal conservation of a sample, it must be immersed in the preservative liquid immediately after obtaining or extracting it and will remain submerged in the liquid until the moment in which it is desired to be recovered, for analysis, processing or for any other reason.

The pathological anatomy services are where all the biological samples collected in the different specialty clinics, operating rooms and Health Centers are processed, with the pathological anatomy service being the place where there is a greater probability of exposure to formaldehyde.

There is scientific evidence that shows that exposure to formaldehyde can cause different types of cancer, nasopharyngeal, lymphohematopoietic, myeloid leukemia, etc.; as well as other pathologies such as fetal malformations, depression of the central nervous system or acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory tract.

With current systems and procedures for collecting biological samples, many hospital professionals continue to be exposed to this chemical agent, with the consequent risk to their health, because these systems only protect when collecting small samples, not covering the professionals of the pathological anatomy services when they subsequently carry out the analysis and/or cutting of the sample.

In the case of large samples and whole organs, exposure occurs both during collection and subsequent analysis and/or carving. It is, therefore, that in the hospital setting the units most affected by exposure to formaldehyde are those of pathological anatomy and operating rooms.

On the other hand, in the educational field, both students and teachers are exposed in the faculties in which practices with cadaver dissection are carried out.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to solve the proposed problem by using a device for collecting biological samples in which the conservation or fixation of the biological sample of tissue, organic, etc. It is carried out without exposure of the personnel handling the biological sample to the preservative liquid.

Specifically, the biological sample device comprises a container, which can be manufactured using a plastic material such as polypropylene or others with similar characteristics, with an internal space where a sample of biological tissue is housed, said internal space being enclosed upper and lower by lids that fit hermetically with the container, the upper lid being provided with an inlet opening and the lower lid with an outlet opening.

A preservative liquid, preferably formaldehyde, enters through the inlet opening of the upper cover, coming directly from a preservative liquid tank. The liquid occupies the internal space of the container in such a way that the sample is completely submerged in it, thus ensuring optimal conservation of the same until it is needed again for analysis or processing, at which time the liquid is It is expelled through the outlet of the lower lid, all without contact or exposure to the preservative liquid (colorless and odorless vapors at room temperature) by the personnel in charge of handling the organic sample, creating a closed circuit and continuous between the inlet mouth of the upper cover, the internal space and the outlet mouth of the lower cover, both mouths being able to connect with liquid and waste tanks.

To prevent the preservative liquid from coming into contact with the manipulator user before it enters the internal space of the container due to overflow or shaking of said container, the device incorporates anti-reflux valves, incorporated in the inlet mouth and in the outlet mouth. outlet, being respectively intended to be connected to the preservative liquid tank, and to a liquid waste tank; avoiding the change of direction of the flow direction, only allowing its progress in one direction bathing the biological sample located in the container.

Notably, the container is provided with a bellows wall that laterally encloses the internal space, being flexible and extending from an upper area to a lower area of said container, in a contracted position.

With the help of the bellows wall, the user who is manipulating the biological sample enclosed in the container can introduce the preservative liquid in a sealed manner directly from the preservative liquid tank, because said bellows wall has the capacity to stretch, thus plunger mode of a syringe, from the contracted position, achieving the variation of the pressure between the preservative liquid tank and the internal space, obtaining a negative pressure that allows the forced suction of said preservative liquid, preferably, formalin.

Once all the preservative liquid has been introduced, the bellows wall remains in the extended position, being maintained in that position by incorporating external locking elements, such as gauges, stops, etc.

When the biological sample needs to be recovered for analysis or processing, the preservative liquid is first disposed of by expelling it through the outlet of the lower lid, which is connected to a waste tank.

Additionally, to ensure safe subsequent handling - without exposure to the toxic agent - of the sample, any trace or trace of the preservative liquid must be removed before the container can be opened and the sample removed. To do this, a washing liquid is introduced into the interior space through the inlet opening of the upper lid, the entire sample is bathed, and the resulting liquid is expelled through the outlet opening of the lower lid.

When it is intended to wash the sample, the device can be connected, in an extended position, with the washing liquid tank and with the washing liquid waste tank, creating a closed circuit and whose pressures are equal throughout the entire circuit, allowing the circulation of the fluid as if it were a conduit, only the entire internal space of the container.

On the other hand, the biological sample device additionally comprises a fluid diverter, of essentially parallelepiped geometry and which is located internally in the container, connecting with the anti-reflux valve located at the inlet mouth.

The fluid diverter is used to divert the flow direction of the preservative and/or subsequently washing liquid, which is introduced into the internal space and thus avoid direct impact with the biological sample, because it can endanger the integrity of the sample. the biological sample if the contact occurs directly, losing reliability in terms of subsequent results in its analysis or having to discard it.

The fluid diverter is formed by an access that connects with the aforementioned anti-reflux valve, a contact wall, facing the access of the diverter and that receives the preservative liquid and/or subsequently the washing liquid and divides its flow direction; and, some side outlets through which the liquid accesses the internal space of the container.

The device includes a filtering grid integrated transversely in the internal space of the container, on which the biological sample rests and which divides said internal space into a biological sample bath area and a liquid evacuation area through the second anti-reflux valve integrated into the outlet of the lower lid, allowing complete bathing of the biological sample and thus preventing part of the sample or the entire sample from being lost through the second anti-reflux valve, that is, part of the shows passage to the liquid evacuation zone.

This grate has such a filtering capacity that it allows the accumulation of a volume of preservative liquid and/or subsequently washing liquid in the bathing area and progressively, through said filter, it enters the evacuation area, at the same time. time that facilitates the bathing of the sample in preservative liquid, or later the washing liquid, in its entirety, that is, top, bottom and laterally.

Finally, to identify the patient to whom the biological sample belongs, the lower lid is equipped with a lateral slot where an identification label is attached.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of its practical implementation, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. where, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of the biological sample collection device.

Figure 2.- Shows a sectional view of the biological sample collection device.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With the help of Figures 1 and 2, an example of a preferred embodiment of the biological sample collection device is shown:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the biological sample collection device, intended to preserve a biological sample by using a preservative liquid from a preservative liquid tank and/or a washing liquid from a preservative liquid tank. washed, in a sealed manner, without exposure of the user to the preservative liquid and its chemical agents, which comprises a container (1), of preferably cylindrical geometry, equipped with an internal space (2) where the biological sample is received, an upper area ( 3), and a lower area (4).

The device also comprises an upper cover (5) hermetically coupled to the container (1) by its upper area (3) and which incorporates an inlet mouth (6) that communicates with the internal space (2), a lower cover (7) hermetically coupled to the container (1) by its lower area (4) and incorporating an outlet mouth (8) that communicates with the internal space (2), a first anti-reflux valve (9) incorporated in the inlet mouth (6) of the upper cover (5), which is intended to connect directly with the preservative liquid tank or with the washing liquid tank and which allows the entry of preservative liquid, or the entry of washing liquid, respectively from the tank of preservative liquid or washing liquid tank to the internal space (2) of the container (1), and a second anti-reflux valve (10) incorporated in the outlet mouth (8) of the lower cover (7) and that allows the exit of preservative liquid or washing liquid from the internal space (2) of the container (1).

To allow the entry of preservative liquid directly into the internal space (2) without any contact or exposure of the user to the preservative liquid, the container (1) of the device object of the invention incorporates a bellows wall (11) that laterally encloses the space. internal (2), extended from the upper area (3) to the lower area (4) of the container (1) and which is extensible by the action of a user allowing the entry of preservative liquid directly into the internal space (2) due to the difference in pressure between the internal space (2) of the container (1) and the interior of the preservative liquid tank.

With the help of Figure 2, a sectional view of the biological sample collection device is observed, which shows how it is equipped with a fluid diverter (12) located in the internal space (2) of the container (1) and linked to the first anti-reflux valve (9), which is intended to divert the direction of incoming flow through the first anti-reflux valve (9) avoiding direct contact with the biological sample housed in the internal space (2) of the container (1).

Geometrically to get the direction of the preservative liquid; and/or washing liquid introduced subsequently, is modified, the fluid diverter (12) is provided with at least one access (14) connected to the first anti-reflux valve (9) and one or more outlets (16) whose axes are transverse to a longitudinal axis contained in the access (14) and, through which, the preservative liquid and subsequently the washing liquid access the internal space (2) of the container (1) avoiding direct contact with the biological sample.

Preferably, the fluid diverter (12) has an essentially parallelepipedal geometry and is also provided with a contact wall (15) arranged essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the access (14), which receives the preservative liquid and subsequently the washing liquid and, by collision, divides the fluid direction of said liquid leading it to one or more outlets (16).

Additionally, the device includes a filtering grid (17) integrated transversely in the internal space (2) of the container (1), on which the biological sample rests and which divides said internal space (2) into an area of biological sample bath and a liquid evacuation area through the second anti-reflux valve (10) integrated in the outlet mouth (8) of the lower lid (7). The grid allows complete bathing of the biological sample and prevents part of the sample or the entire sample from being lost through the second anti-reflux valve (10), that is, part of the sample from passing into the liquid evacuation zone.

Finally, to facilitate the identification of the patient and the ownership of the biological sample taken, the lower lid (7) incorporates an external lateral groove (18) that receives an identification label.

Claims (8)

1. - Device for collecting biological samples intended to preserve a biological tissue sample by using a preservative liquid from a preservative liquid tank and/or to subsequently wash the sample by using a washing liquid from a tank of washing liquid, without exposure of the sample handling personnel to said liquid, comprising: - a container (1) equipped with: oan internal space (2) where the biological tissue sample is housed, oan upper area (3), and oa lower area (4); - an upper lid (5) hermetically coupled to the container (1) by its upper area (3) and incorporating an inlet opening (6) that communicates with the internal space (2), - a lower lid (7) hermetically coupled to the container (1) by its lower area (4) and incorporating an outlet (8) that communicates with the internal space (2), characterized in that it additionally comprises: - a first anti-reflux valve (9) incorporated in the inlet mouth (6) of the upper cover (5), which is intended to connect directly with the preservative liquid tank and/or with the washing liquid tank and which allows the entry of liquid, without return, into the internal space (2) of the container (1), and, in addition, the container (1) is equipped with: - a flexible bellows wall (11), which laterally encloses the internal space (2), which is extended from the upper area (3) to the lower area (4) of the container (1) and which is extensible by the action of a user allowing the entry of preservative liquid into the internal space (2) by means of negative pressure through the first anti-reflux valve (9). 2. - Device for collecting biological samples according to claim 1 that comprises a second anti-reflux valve (10) incorporated in the outlet mouth (8) of the lower lid (7), connectable to a preservative or preservative liquid waste tank. washing, so that it allows the exit of preservative and/or washing liquid from the internal space (2) of the container (1) without return to said preservative liquid waste tank. 3. - Biological sample collection device according to any of the preceding claims that additionally comprises a fluid diverter (12) located internally in the internal space (2) of the container (1), which is intended to divide the flow direction of the preservative and/or washing liquid to avoid direct contact and damage to the biological sample housed in the container (1) and which is equipped with: - at least one access (14) that connects with the first anti-reflux valve (9), and - one or more outlets (16) transverse to a longitudinal axis of the access (14) through which the preservative liquid and/or washing accesses the internal space (2) of the container (1) avoiding direct contact with the biological sample. 4. - Device for collecting biological samples according to claim 3 wherein the fluid diverter (12) has an essentially parallelepipedal geometry and is additionally provided with a contact wall (15) arranged essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the access ( 14), which receives the preservative and/or washing liquid and, by colliding with it, leads the preservative and/or washing liquid to one or more outlets (16). 5. - Device for collecting biological samples according to any of the previous claims that additionally comprises a filtering grid (17) integrated transversely in the internal space (2) of the container (1), where the biological sample is supported and which divides to said internal space (2) in a biological sample bath area and a liquid evacuation area. 6. - Device for collecting biological samples according to any of the previous claims wherein the lower lid (7) incorporates a lateral groove (18) where a patient identification label is incorporated. 7. - Device for collecting biological samples according to any of the previous claims wherein the container (1) has an essentially cylindrical geometry. 8. - Device for collecting biological samples according to any of the previous claims where the bellows wall (11) remains extended in a fixed manner by means of locking elements.