US3779243A

US3779243A - Contamination free surgical evacuator

Info

Publication number: US3779243A
Application number: US00189563A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Oakes; H Carr; I Melnick; J Tussey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-10-15
Filing date: 1971-10-15
Publication date: 1973-12-18
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-18

Abstract

A contamination free surgical evacuator comprising an evacuator bag having valves in the input (drain) and the output (purge) lines leading to and from the bag is disclosed. The drain valve is a one-way flap valve that allows fluids to enter the bag from a patient yet prevents fluids from returning to the patient. The purge valve is a one-way magnetic valve that allows drained fluids to be purged from the evacuator bag without allowing contaminants to enter the bag. The evacuator bag is collapsible and is located between a pair of rigid plates, one of which curves outwardly. The drain and purge valves are located in the outwardly curved rigid plate with the purge valve being located in a cup-like trap that projects outwardly from the center of the curved shaped plate. The cup-like trap includes graduations which allow the evacuator to be utilized as an instrument to measure the rate of drainage from a patient.

Description

United States Patent [191 Tussey et a1.

[ Dec. 18, 1973 1 CONTAMINATION FREE SURGICAL EVACUATOR [75] Inventors: Jimmy D. Tussey; George W. Oakes, both of South Boston, Va.; Herbert F. Carr, Ozark, Ala.; Irving Melnick, Danville, Va

[731 Assignees: Said Melnick and said Oakes by said Carr; Said Oakes by said Tussey [22] Filed: Oct. 15, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 189,563

[52] US. Cl. 128/278 [51] Int. Cl A6lm 1/00 [58] Field of Search 128/275-278, l45.5l45.8

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,115,138 12/1963 McElvenny et a1 128/278 3,265,062 8/1966 Hesse 128/1458 3,376,868 4/1968 Mondiadis. 128/278 3,421,504 1/1969 Gibbons..... 128/278 3,473,529 10/1969 Wallace..... 128/1457 3,542,026 11/1970 Bledsoe 128/278 3,572,340 3/1971 Lloyd et a1 128/278 Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-B. Franklin Griffin, Jr. et a1.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A contamination free surgical evacuator comprising an evacuator bag having valves in the input (drain) and the output (purge) lines leading to and from the bag is disclosed. The drain valve is a one-way flap valve that allows fluids to enter the bag from a patient yet prevents fluids from returning to the patient. The purge valve is a one-way magnetic valve that allows drained fluids to be purged from the evacuator bag without allowing contaminants to enter the bag. The evacuator bag is collapsible and is located between a pair of rigid plates, one of which curves outwardly. The drain and purge valves are located in the outwardly curved rigid plate with the purge valve being located in a cup-like trap that projects outwardly from the center of the curved shaped plate. The cup-like trap includes graduations which allow the evacuator to be utilized as an instrument to measure the rate of drainage from a patient.

18 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Pmgmsuuu: 1 8 I975 3779.243

FIG. 3 FIGH INVENTORS JIMMY D. TUSSEY GEORE W, OQKES HERBERT F. CARR lRVlMS MELNICK CONTAMINATION FREE SURGICAL EVACUATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to surgical drainage devices and more particularly to surgical evacuators suitable for draining wounds or infected areas of a patients body.

Various types of surgical evacuator devices have been proposed and some of them are in use. These devices vary from pumps to suction evacuator devices. Pumps generally have the disadvantage that they are bulky and, therefor, difficult to attach to a patient in a manner that allows him to move about during recovery from an injury or operation. For this reason, vacuum or suction evacuators generally have been found to be more useful.

In operation, a vacuum or suction evacuator is first compressed to a small size. As the bag portion of the evacuator expands to its normal size a suction is created. The suction is utilized to drain a patients wound through suitable drainage tubes. Evacuators that use this principle of operation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,1 15,138 to McElvenny et al.; 3,276,868 to Mondiadis; and, 3,572,340 to Lloyd et al. While evacuators of this general nature have been somewhat satisfactory, they all have one common disadvantage. Specifically, all of these evacuators are open evacuators whereby they allow bacteria and other contaminants to enter the region of the patient being drained. More specifically, these evacuators are first compressed to force air from the bags through a normally plugged opening. Then the plug is replaced and the desired fluids are drained into the evacuator bag. When the bag is suitably full, the plug is again removed and the bag is compressed to exhaust the fluids through the opening previously plugged. Then the plug is again replaced. The major problem with such an evacuation procedure is the time periods during which the plug removed and fluid (or air) is not being exhausted. During these periods of time contaminants can enter the bag. From the bag the contaminants can then enter the body of the patient through the drainage tube where they can cause infection. For this, as well as other reasons, these devices have not found as widespread use as possible.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved surgical evacuator.

It is another object of this invention to provide a surgical evacuator that is completely closed with regard to the external atmosphere.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved surgical evacuator suitable for draining fluids from a patient without allowing contaminants to enter the body of the patient through the evacuator.

Another disadvantage of prior art evacuators, particularly of the type described'in U.S. Pat. No. 3,1 15,138 to McElvenny et al., is the difficulty of entirely draining the evacuator because the plates between which the evacuator bag is located are generally parallel. The parallel plates prevent the fluid from easily reaching the evacuation opening because they allow a portion of the fluid being purged to lie on the lower most parallel plate during purging.

Consequently, it is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved surgical evacuator that can be more completely purged of fluids than prior art evacuators.

Yet another disadvantage of prior art surgical evacuators is the difficulty of determining when to remove the drainage tube from a patient. More specifically, as a wound heals the amount of drainage therefrom reduces until it flows from the wound in a drop-by-drop manner. The prior art procedure for determining when to removed an evacuator drain tube from a wound to prevent it from healing into the wound or sucking a portion of the patients flesh into the openings in the drainage tube has been for a nurse or medical technician to count the number of fluid drops that pass through the tube during a predetermined period of time. When the rate of flow reaches a predetermined level, the drainage tube is removed from the wound. Hence, prior art evacuators require that a nurse or medical technican constantly observe the drainage tube for an extended period of time just prior to removal so that removal can be promptly performed. It will be appreciated that such procedure is time consuming and, therefore, costly to the patient.

Consequently it is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and improved surgical evacuator that allows the rate of drainage of a wound to be measured without requiring constant observation of the evacuator and drainage tube.

Another disadvantage of prior art surgical evacuators is the difficulty of compressing them with one hand to create the desired vacuum. Very often, two hands are required to completely collapse the bag. Alternatively, the bag may be compressed by pressing the evacuator against the body of the patient. For obvious reasons, neither of these approaches is entirely satisfactory.

Hence, it is yet a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved surgical evacuator that can be compressed with one hand alone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with principles of this invention, a contamination free surgical evacuator is provided. The evacuator comprises an evacuator bag having valves in the lines leading to and from the bag. The evacuator bag is located between a pair of rigid plates, one of which is curved outwardly, and is collapsible to create a suction on the input line. The drain or input line includes a one-way drain valve that allows fluids to rapidly or slowly enter the bag from the body of a patient while preventing the escape of fluids or gases from the evacuator bag into the body. The exhaust or output line includes a one-way exhaust valve that allows the bag to be purged or exhausted to empty the bag and create a drainage suction without allowing contaminants to enter the bag. The curved portion of the rigid plate has the evacuator valve centrally located therein so as to form a well that allows the evacuator bag to be completely exhausted or purged.

In accordance with other principles of this invention a cup-like trap projects outwardly from the center of the curved rigid plate and the exhaust valve is mounted therein. The cup-like trap has graduations written about its outer surface which allow the rate of flow of fluids into the bag from the patient to be measured. More specifically, after the bag is evacuated or purged, fluids are allowed to drain into the bag for a predetermined period of time. Thereafter, the bag is oriented in a manner such that the cup-shaped region is at the bottom of the bag. The graduations indicate the amount of fluid that has entered the bag during the predetermined perod of time.

In accordance with further principles of this invention, the drain valve is a relatively uncomplicated, yet novel, flap type valve formed of a disc of resilient material attached along a portion of its periphery to a cylinder of material so as to close the central aperture in the cylinder. More specifically, the attachment region causes the disc to normally close the central aperture. However, when a suitable pressure is applied through the aperture, by creating a vacuum on the other side of the central aperture, for example, the unattached portion of the disc moves away from the aperture; whereby, a passageway is provided.

In accordance with yet other principles of this invention, the exhaust valve is a magnetic disc valve. Preferably, the valve is formed of a permanently magnetized component and a ferromagnetic component, one of which is a disc and the other of which is a ring or cylinder. The disc is separated from the cylinder by a suitably compressible washer. One side of the washer is aflxed over its entire adjacent surface to either the ring or the disc. Only a portion of the periphery of the other side of the washer is attached to the opposing element i.e. the disc or ring, as the case may be. The unattached portion of the washer moves away from the element to which it is unattached when a suitable pressure is applied through the aperture in the cylinder, such as when the evacuator bag is compressed, for example. The ring is located either inside or outside of a suitable cylindrical housing, as desired.

In accordance with yet other principles of this inven tion, springs are located inside of the collapsible bag so as to cause the bag to expand to a normal expanded state. Moreover, the rigid plates are so as to allow the bag to be hung from the waist, or other suitable location, on either side of a patient. Further, the valves are preferably located midway between the ends of the evacuator so that fluids do not create additional pressure on the valves when the bag is less than one-half full. I i

It will be appreciated from the foregoing summary of the invention that a contamination free surgical evacuator is provided by the invention. Because an outlet valve that closes immediately upon the relaxation of pressure against the plates is provided, the bag can be purged or exhausted without allowing contaminants to enter the bag. In addition, the application of pressure to the bag will not cause pressure to be applied to the wound of the patient via the drain tube because the inlet valve is closed when such pressure is applied. Further, the evacuator can be completely drained because one of the rigid plates curves outwardly to provide a well for fluid to drain into prior to being purged from the bag. Also, because the bag provides a means for measuring the rate of drainage over a predetrmined period of time, the prior art requirement that the drain tube be constantly observed just prior to drainage tube removal is eliminated. Moreover, the evacuator of the invention can be attached to either side of the patient, as desired. Yet, neither position of the two positions in which the bag'is normally attached to a patient causes the application of fluid pressure to either of the valves when the evacuator bag is less than half full. Finally, because the bag is mounted between a pair of relatively resilient plates it can be compressed by a single hand alone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and illustrates the interior of the evacuator including a preferred embodiment of the outlet valve;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred em- I bodiment of an inlet valve suitable for use in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of an outlet valve suitable for use in the embodiment of the invention and illustrated in FIG. 1. v

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 is a pictorial diagram of a preferred embodiment of a surgical evacuator 11 formed in accordance with the invention. The surgical evacuator 11 comprises an inner plate 13 and an outer plate 15 formed of a suitably rigid, relatively thin material such as plastic, for example. The inner plate is flat and normally resides next to a patients body at his waist. The outer plate 15 curves outwardly from a plane that is parallel to, but separated from, the inner plate 13. A central cup-like trap 16 projects outwardly from the center of the outwardly curving outer plate 15 and includes a plurality of graduations 17 about its outer periphery. As hereinafter described, the graduations 17 allow the evacuator to be used as a measuring device for measuring the rate of flow of a fluid from the patients body.

. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the inner and

outer plates

13 and 15 are generally non-rectangular parallelograms having rounded corners. Of course, as indicated above, the outer plate 15 is not flat, rather, it curves outwardly. The inner plate 13 is slightly longer than the outer plate 15 and includes two apertures 18, one located at either of its farthest separated ends. The apertures l8 allow the surgical evacuator 11 to be attached by a wire hanger or cord to a patients body at his waist in a manner such that the evacuator is hung from either side of the patient, as desired.

Located between the inner and

outer plates

13 and 15 is a bag 19 formed of a suitably collapsible material, such as relatively thin polyvinyl chloride, for example. The bag 19 includes inner and outer sides 21 and 23 attached to and generallythe size and shape of the inner and

outer plates

13 and 15. Any suitable attachment material, such as a rubber or epoxy adhesive, can be utilized to attach the inner and outer sides 21 and 23 of the bag 19 to the

plates

13 and 15. Located inside of the bag 19 are a plurality of coil springs 25 which normally maintain the bag expanded by pressing the

plates

13 and 15 away from another. When the plates are compressed toward one another, the coil springs 25 compress and the volume of space in the bag is decreased. When the plates are released the coil springs resume their normal shape and increase the volume of space in the bag 19. Since the inner and

outer plates

13 and 15 are relatively rigid, it will be appreciated that compression can be created by a single hand alone pressing the plates toward one another. Preferably, the coil springs are four in number, one being located in each of the four corners defined by the inner and

outer plates

13 and 15.

Located in the center of the cup-like trap 16 of the outer plate is an outlet region 27. Also located in the outer plate 15, in a corner intermediate the hanging ends of the evacuator, is an outlet region 29.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 the inlet region 29 comprises a housing 31 formed of a cylinder of relatively rigid plastic. The cylindrical housing 31 passes through both the outer plate 15 and the outer side 23 of the bag 19 so as to provide a passageway into the interior of the bag 19. The cylindrical housing includes a cylindrical central aperture 32 in which a valve 33 is mounted.

The valve 33 comprises a valve cylinder 39 that is normally closed at its inner end by a disc 41. The disc is formed of a suitably resilient plastic or rubber such as surgical rubber, for example, and is attached along a portion of its periphery to the valve cylinder 39. This manner of attachment allowsthe disc to normally close a cylindrical aperture 43 in the valve cylinder 39. When a suitable pressure occurs in the direction of the arrow illustrated in FIG. 3, the disc 41 moves away from the lower end of the cylinder 39 and allows a drainage fluid passing through a drainage tube 38 to flow pass the disc. The pressure maybe caused by suction from the bag 19, for example. The drainage tube 38 snugly fits inside of the upper portion of the cylindrical housing 31 adjacent to the valve cylinder 39 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

A flex finger 45, attached to the lower surface of the disc 41 in the same region as the disc is attached to the valve cylinder 39 prevents the valve disc 41 from opening beyond a predetermined angle a. Moreoever, the flex finger 45 provides positive closure in that it does not allow the disc 41 to move beyond its resiliency point.

Reference is hereby made to a U.S. patent application entitled Flushing Catheter With Anti-Reverse Valve and filed by the inventors named herein on Sept. 27, 1971 as U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 184,009, for a more complete description of a valve of the type illustrated in FIG. 3.

The outlet region 27 includes an exhaust valve 47. The exhaust valve 47 includes a ferromagnetic ring 49 which surrounds a cylinder 51 which may be formed as part of the outer plate 15 or separate therefrom. The aperture in the cylinder 51 is closed by a permanent magnetic disc 53 and is separated from the cylinder 51 and the ferromagnetic ring 49 by a soft plastic washer gasket 55. The gasket 55 is attached over its entire adjacent surface to the disc 51 and along a portion of it's adjacent surface to the ferromagnetic ring 49 and, if desired to a portion of the outer end of the cylinder 51. This manner of attachment allows the permanent magnetic disc 51 and the gasket to move away from the ferromagnetic ring 49 where the gasket is not attached thereto by stretching the gasket. Yet, side slip or side movement between the ferromagnetic ring 49 and the permanent magnetic disc 53 is prevented because a portion of the gasket is attached to the ferromagnetic ring 49.

Alternatively, the adjacent surface of the gasket 55 could be entirely attached to the ring 49 where it impinges thereon and only a portion of the adjacent surface could be attached to the magnetic disc 51. In this case, the gasket must have a central aperture that coincides with the aperture in the cylinder 51. It will be appreciated that this method of attachment allows only the disc to move away from the gasket along the nonattached region rather than the gasket and the disc moving away from the ring 49.

Regardless of the method of attachment, magnetic attraction normally presses the disc tightly toward the outer surface of the ferromagnetic ring 49 so as to slightly compress the washer 55 and prevent leakage between these elements. On the other hand, when a suitable pressure is applied to the disc through the aperture in the cylinder 51, the magnetic attraction force is overcome and the magnetic disc 53 moves away from the ferromagnetic ring 49. Thus, a passageway between these elements is created. This passageway allows gases trapped inside of the evacuator bag, as well as fluids, to exhaust from the evacuator bag. A cap 57 having a opening 59 is mounted about the ring 47 so as to prevent the exhausting fluid from spraying out. That is, fluid spray passing through the valve 47, illustrated in FIG. 2, is trapped by the cap 57. The trapped fluid leaves the cap via the aperture 59. It will be appreciated that the cap must be sufficiently separated from the disc 53 to allow the disc to open when pressure is applied thereto.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an alternative embodiment 59 of an exhaust valve suitable for use in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. More specifically, the exhaust valve 59 illustrated in FIG. 4 comprises a cylindrical housing 61 that passes through the outer plate 15 and the outer wall 23 of the bag 19. Located near the outer end of the cylindrical housing 61 is a cylindrical magnet 63. The cylindrical magnet 63 is separated from a ferromagnetic disc 65 by a soft plastic washer gasket 67. It should be noted, that the functions of the disc and the ring are reversed from the functions illustrated in FIG. 2 i.e. the disc is ferromagnetic, rather than permanently magnetized, and the ring is permanently magnetized rather than ferromagnetic. This change is illustrated and discussed so that it will be clearly understood that the functions of these two items can be reversed. Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the ring can be located inside or outside of a suitable cylindrical housing. Other than these changes, the attachment between the disc, the gasket, and the ring is the same. That is, the gasket is attached over its entire surface adjacent to either the disc or the ring and the cylindrical housing 61, as desired, with the other side attached over only a portion to the opposite component or components. This man ner. of attachment allows the disc 65 to move away from the ring 63 upon the application of a suitable pressure to provide a passageway therebetween. The cylindrical housing 61 is surrounded by the terminal 69 of a suitable exhaust tube 71. This is an alternative to the cap 57 illustrated in FIG. 2 and heretofore described. The exhaust tube 71 allows exhausting fluid or air to be exhausted to a suitable receptacle, remote from the location of the evacuator as opposed to a receptacle adjacent to the evacuator as required by the cap arrangement.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment that a medical or surgical evacuator suitable for the automatic extraction of body fluids is provided by the invention. While the invention is primarily useful in post-operative blood drainage, it

is not restrictive to such drainage, but can be used for other fluid drainage, as desired.

The invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art devices which are not contamination free by providing a positive closure inlet valve that prevents entry of bacteria, fluid, air or other contaminants into a patients body during evacuation of the bag. More specifically, the evacuator bag of the invention is evacuated by compressing the inner and

outer plates

13 and 15 toward one another and, thereby compressing the coil springs 25. This action creates a pressure that opens the exhaust valve and allows fluid or air trapped inside of the bag to exhaust therefrom. Because rapid purging occurs, contaminants are prevented from entering the bag through the exhaust valve during purging. Moreover, because the inlet valve is closed during purging, fluids and other materials in the bag are prevented from entering the body of a patient through the drainage tube 38. When maximum evacuation or purging has occurred, the plates are released and the exhaust valve closes. Thereafter, suction from the bag opens the inlet valve and fluids are drained from the body of the patient.

It is to be understood that the purge or exhaust valve is a pressure device designed specifically to withstand the weight pressure of accumulated fluid in the evacuator device but opening relatively freely under additional hand pressure to allow purging of the evacuator bag of fluid or air. That is, the normal weight of fluids in the evacuator bag is insufficient to open the magnetic exhaust valve. However, when the plates are pressed toward one another the magnetic attraction between the ferromagnetic component of the valve and the permanent magnet component of the valve is overcome and purging occurs. Closure is rapid and immediate and, thus, the delay time of prior art devices caused by the removal and return of a cap plug is overcome. Hence, external contaminants are prevented from entering the bag.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that because the outer plate 15 is curved outwardly and includes a cup-like 16, the evacuator of the invention can be fully evacuated. More specifically, the evacuator bag is evacuated when it is inverted from the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. When in this position, the plates are compressed toward one another under hand pressure. When this occurs, the gases or pressure in the evacuator bag located above the fluid (which is at the bottom of the bag) causes the fluid to exhaust through the exhaust valve. Because all the fluid flows toward the exhaust valve, it is completely evacuated from the bag and does not lie along the bottom surface of the bag as with prior art evacuators. Hence, the evacuator bag can be fully evacuated.

In addition to evacuation, the invention can be utilized to measure the rate of drainage from a wound. More specifically, after the evacuator bag has been fully evacuated of fluids, it will drain fluids from the body of a patient in the manner previously described. After a suitable period of time has elapsed the bag can be inverted from the position illustrated in FIG. 2 to its normal purge position. The drained fluids will then lie in the cup-like shaped trap 16. By reading the graduations 17 written on the surface of the cup-like trap 16, an indication of the amount of fluid that has drained from the patients body during the time period is provided. It will be appreciated that, in order for such a measurement to be performed, the outer plate 15 and the bag 23 must be formed of a transparent material. Because the rate of drainage flow can be measured by the invention, a nurse or doctor utilizing the invention can easily determine whether or not to remove the drainage tube from the patients body. Yet, the nurse or doctor is not required to constantly observe the drainage of fluid through the drainage tube.

It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art and others, from the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention that, because relatively rigid inner and outer plates are provided, the evacuator can be compressed by a single hand alone. Moreover, because of its unique configuration, the evacuator can be hung on either side of a patient without changing the relative location of the inlet and outlet valves, except for reversing them.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art and others that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Hence, the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A surgical evacuator for draining the fluids from the body of a patient comprising:

an evacuator bag, said evacuator bag being compressible and expandable to decrease and increase the internal volume of the evacuator bag;

a drain inlet formed in said evacuator bag for connection to a drain tube adapted to drain fluids from the body of a patient into said evacuator bag;

an exhaust outlet formed in said evacuator bag for evacuating fluids and air from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed; and, magnetic exhaust valve forming a part of said exhaust outlet, said magnetic exhaust valve being a one-way valve mounted so as to allow said fluids and air to exhaust from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed, said magnetic exhaust valve rapidly closing upon termination of said compression so as to prevent contaminants from entering said bag through said exhaust valve, said magnetic exhaust valve comprising: cylinder formed of a ferromagnetic material and having a central aperture; and,

a disc formed of a ferromagnetic material, said disc being hingedly attached to said cylinder so as to normally close said central aperture in said cylinder by magnetic attraction therebetween, said disc being movable with respect to said cylinder to provide a passageway between said cylinder and said disc upon the application of a sufficient pressure through said central aperture in said cylinder, one of said cylinder and said disc being permanently magnetized.

2. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim I wherein said hinged attachment between said disc and said cylinder includes a gasket permanently attached on one side to one of said disc and said cylinder and partially attached on the other side to the other of said disc and said cylinder.

3. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 2 including an inlet valve forming a part of said drain inlet, said inlet valve being a one-way valve which allows fluids to drain from the body of said patient into said evacuator bag and prevent the return of fluid and air from said evacuator bag to said patient when said evacuator bag is compressed.

4. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 3 wherein said inlet valve comprises a cylinder having a central aperture therein and a resilient disc, said disc being attached to said cylinder along a portion of its periphery so as to normally close said aperture and prevent fluid from passing through said valve, said disc being movable away from said cylinder to provide a passage through said inlet valve upon the application of a suitable force to said disc.

5. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 4 including first and second rigid plates, said evacuator bag being mounted between said first and second rigid plates and being attached thereto, said plates being generally mounted in a parallel manner, one of said plates being flat and the other curving outwardly, said drain inlet and said evacuator outlet passing though said outwardly curving plate.

6. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 5 including a cuplike trap projecting outwardly from said outwardly curving plate, said evacuator outlet passing through said cup-like trap, said cup-like trap having at least one graduation thereon.

7. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 6 including a plurality of coil springs mounted in said evacuator bag between said pair of plates so as to maintain said evacuator bag in an expanded state until pressure is applied to compress said plates toward one another.

8. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 7 wherein said rigid plates are in the form of a non-rectangular parallelograms with rounded corners and wherein the plate remote from the plate through which said drain inlet and exhaust outlet pass includes first and second apertures which allow said evacuator bag to be attached to the body of a patient.

9. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 1 including an inlet valve forming a part of said drain inlet, said inlet valve being a one-way valve which allows fluids to drain from the body of said patient into said evacuator bag and prevent the return of fluid and air from said evacuator bag to said patient when said evacuator bag is compressed.

10. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 9 wherein said inlet valve comprises a cylinder having a central aperture therein and a resilient disc, said disc being attached to said cylinder along a portion of its periphery so as to normally close said aperture and prevent fluid from passing through said valve, said disc being movable away from said cylinder to provide a passage through said inlet valve upon the application of a suitable force to said disc.

11. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 10 including first and second rigid plates, said evacuator bag being mounted between said first and second rigid plates and being attached thereto, said plates being generally mounted in a parallel manner, one of said plates being flat and the other curving outwardly, said drain inlet and said evacuator outlet passing through said outwardly curving plate.

12. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 11 including a cup-like trap projecting outwardly from said outwardly curving plate, said evacuator outlet passing through said cup-like trap, said cup-like trap having at least one graduation thereon.

13. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 12 including a plurality of coil springs mounted in said evacuator bag between said pair of plates so as to maintain said evacuator bag in an expanded state until pressure is applied to compress said plates toward one another.

14. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 13 wherein said rigid plates are in the form of non-rectangular parallelograms with rounded corners and wherein the plate re mote from the plate through which said drain inlet and exhaust outlet pass includes first and second apertures which allow said evacuator bag to be attached to the body of a patient.

15. A surgical evacuator for draining the fluids from the body of a patient comprising:

an exhaust outlet formed in said evacuator bag for evacuating fluids and air from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed;

a magnetic exhaust valve forming a part of said exhaust outlet, said magnetic exhaust valve being a one-way valve mounted so as to allow said fluids and air to exhaust from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed, said magnetic exhaust valve rapidly closing upon termination of said compression to prevent contaminants from entering said bag through said exhaust valve; and,

first and second rigid plates, said evacuator bag being mounted between said first and second rigid plates and being attached thereto, said plates being generally mounted in a parallel manner, one of said plates being flat and the other curving outwardly, said drain inlet and said evacuator outlet passing through said outwardly curving plate.

16. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 15 including a cup-like trap projecting outwardly from said outwardly curving plate, said evacuator outlet passing through said cup-like trap, said cup-like trap having at least one graduation thereon.

17. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 16 including a plurality of coil springs mounted in said evacuator bag between said pair of plates so as to maintain said evacua' tor bag in an expanded state until pressure is applied to compress said plates toward one another.

18. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 17 wherein said rigid plates are in the form of non-rectangular parallelograms with rounded corners and wherein the plate remote from the plate through which said drain inlet and exhaust outlet pass includes first and second apertures which allow said evacuator bag to be attached to the body of a patient.

Claims

1. A surgical evacuator for draining the fluids from the body of a patient comprising: an evacuator bag, said evacuator bag being compressible and expandable to decrease and increase the internal volume of the evacuator bag; a drain inlet formed in said evacuator bag for connection to a drain tube adapted to drain fluids from the body of a patient into said evacuator bag; an exhaust outlet formed in said evacuator bag for evacuating fluids and air from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed; and, a magnetic exhaust valve forming a part of said exhaust outlet, said magnetic exhaust valve being a one-way valve mounted so as to allow saiD fluids and air to exhaust from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed, said magnetic exhaust valve rapidly closing upon termination of said compression so as to prevent contaminants from entering said bag through said exhaust valve, said magnetic exhaust valve comprising: a cylinder formed of a ferromagnetic material and having a central aperture; and, a disc formed of a ferromagnetic material, said disc being hingedly attached to said cylinder so as to normally close said central aperture in said cylinder by magnetic attraction therebetween, said disc being movable with respect to said cylinder to provide a passageway between said cylinder and said disc upon the application of a sufficient pressure through said central aperture in said cylinder, one of said cylinder and said disc being permanently magnetized.

2. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hinged attachment between said disc and said cylinder includes a gasket permanently attached on one side to one of said disc and said cylinder and partially attached on the other side to the other of said disc and said cylinder.

6. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 5 including a cup-like trap projecting outwardly from said outwardly curving plate, said evacuator outlet passing through said cup-like trap, said cup-like trap having at least one graduation thereon.

14. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 13 wherein said rigid plates are in the form of non-rectangular parallelograms with rounded corners and wherein the plate remote from the plate through which said drain inlet and exhaust outlet pass includes first and second apertures which allow said evacuator bag to be attached to the body of a patient.

15. A surgical evacuator for draining the fluids from the body of a patient comprising: an evacuator bag, said evacuator bag being compressible and expandable to decrease and increase the internal volume of the evacuator bag; a drain inlet formed in said evacuator bag for connection to a drain tube adapted to drain fluids from the body of a patient into said evacuator bag; an exhaust outlet formed in said evacuator bag for evacuating fluids and air from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed; a magnetic exhaust valve forming a part of said exhaust outlet, said magnetic exhaust valve being a one-way valve mounted so as to allow said fluids and air to exhaust from said evacuator bag when said evacuator bag is compressed, said magnetic exhaust valve rapidly closing upon termination of said compression to prevent contaminants from entering said bag through said exhaust valve; and, first and second rigid plates, said evacuator bag being mounted between said first and second rigid plates and being attached thereto, said plates being generally mounted in a parallel manner, one of said plates being flat and the other curving outwardly, said drain inlet and said evacuator outlet passing through said outwardly curving plate.

17. A surgical evacuator for draining fluids from the body of a patient as claimed in claim 16 including a plurality of coil springs mounted in said evacuator bag between said pair of plates so as to maintain said evacuator bag in an expanded state until pressure is applied to compress said plates toward one another.