Safety Newborn Mucous Suction Device

This invention relates to devices for aspirating mucous from the upper respiratory passages of newborns at birth, and more particularly to such devices incorporating safety features to prevent the ingestion of harmful microorganisms during the application of mouth suction by the user.

It is common practice to remove mucous from the nasal passages, mouth and throat of a newborn baby to clear the upper respiratory passages for respiration and to prevent the unfavorable effects of that mucous being drawn into the lungs of the newborn. It has been found that the mucous can be cleared most effectively by suction through a catheter, with suction provided by the attending physician or nurse through a mouthpiece via a flexible suction tube. As shown in FIG. 1, which illustrates the apparatus of the prior art, the baby catheter 1, and the mouthpiece 2 and suction tube 5 meet at a mucous trap 6. The portion of the suction tube within the trap is short and the portion of the catheter tube within the trap is longer. This ensures that the user will aspirate air and the mucous will be trapped in trap 6. However, if the trap fills with mucous and bubbles of mucous, some may be drawn into the mouth of the user.

Because the mucous coming from the lungs generally contains a special surfactant (reduced in the respiratory distress syndrome) that encourage foaming, the mucous will foam and bubble if air is aspirated along with the mucous. The operator will ordinarily aspirate some air, as this is his indication that all the mucous has been aspirated. Some of these newbors may be infected with certain dangerous microorganisms such as AIDS, Herpes, Gonnorhea, Syphillis, etc. that represent a threat to the health of the user. Because this threat to the user is increasing, some hospitals are prohibiting the use of this device and require the use of a suction machine which is more awkward to use and presents more risk to the baby because suction is more difficult to control. Furthermore, these suction machines may spray an aerosol of mucous into the room if not carefully operated or controlled, thereby increasing the hazard they intended to avoid.

It is an object of the invention to provide a suction device for aspirating mucous from the nose, mouth and throat of a newborn baby using mouth suction that traps the mucous and prevents the accidental aspiration by the user of that mucous or any portion thereof in the form of liquid, foam, bubbles, and droplets from breaking bubbles and the like. The device includes a long flexible catheter tube with a tip of a size and shape to fit the passages to be cleared of mucous. The other end of the catheter terminates within a trap chamber. A long, flexible suction tube has a mouthpiece at a first end to fit the mouth of the user. The suction tube terminates at a second end within the trap chamber at a sealing seat. The trap chamber is hermetically sealed with the catheter and suction tube entering at the top so that when the user applies mouth suction to the mouthpiece, suction is transmitted through the trap to the catheter tip. When mucous is drawn into the catheter, it is deposited in the trap. A lightweight, floating sealing member is contained within the trap. As the trap fills with mucous, the sealing member floats atop the mucous. The floating member and the sealing seat at the terminus of the suction tube within the trap are so arranged that the floating member fits into the sealing seat and closes off the suction tube before the mucous reaches the suction tube, thereby preventing the aspiration of mucous by the user. Also included are filter means to filter out any potential aerosols of mucous that may be generated by bursting bubbles from the air entering the mouthpiece. The combination ensures that the more convenient and controllable mouth suction may be employed with safety to both the patient and the user.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a device of the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation, in cross section, of an embodiment of the invention joined at the top.

FIG. 3 is a cross section through plane 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross section through plane 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation, in cross section, of the chamber of FIG. 2 with alternate sphere retainers.

FIG. 6 shows, in cross section, a front elevation of a detail of a conical floating member.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation, in cross section, of an embodiment of the invention joined at the bottom.

FIG. 8 is a cross section through plane 8--8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the retaining screen of FIG. 7.

Referring first to FIG. 2,3 and 4 a mouthpiece 10 is sealed in one foot long flexible suction tube 5. A filter exemplified by a cotton plug 9 in a dilated section 11 of suction tube 5 filters out any fine mist generated by bubbles of mucous. Tube 5 is sealed to tubulation 12 of molded top member 13. Top member 13 also has an aperture 14 through which is extended the catheter 1. Catheter 1 is resilient and is molded with a constriction at the aperture to make a fixed hermetic seal by means well known in the art. The catheter 1 terminates in a small diameter tip 17 with an end aperture 15 and a side aperture 16.

A bottom chamber 6 traps the mucous that enters (arrow 18) through catheter 1 when suction is applied (arrow 19) to suction tube 5. The top member 13 is molded to hermetically seal onto the chamber 6 so that the suction applied to the mouthpiece 10 is transmitted to the catheter tip 17 and results in the transfer of mucous from the patient into chamber 6. To prevent the transfer of mucous to the mouth of the user, the suction tube 5 does not extend into the chamber 6. Furthermore, the hemispherical cavity 20 molded into top member 13 acts as the seat of a check valve arrangement to prevent the passage of mucous into the suction tube 5. A very light, thin-walled, spherical float 7 floats on top of the mucous as it accumulates in chamber 6 and the float enters into the cavity 20 and seals off the suction tube before mucous can enter tube 5. The chamber 6 includes two cylindrical chambers, a smaller chamber 21 that contains the catheter 1 and a larger chamber 22 that contains the float 7. The cylinders are parallel and juxtaposed and communicate along a portion of their length through passage 23. Cylinder 22 guides float 7 into hemispherical cavity 20 as the level of trapped mucous rises to ensure that the float 7 will seat in the cavity 20 and seal off the suction tube and prevent the potentially harmful ingestion of mucous by the user. The float 7 may be of thin-walled, hollow construction. Alternatively, it may be constructed of a closed-cell foam or other very light weight material. The catheter 1, at its termination inside the chamber is shown with a diagonal end 24 to ensure that it will not be inadvertently sealed against the bottom if chamber 6 is inserted too far. As shown in FIG. 5, the catheter 1 may alternatively extend only part way down into chamber 6. This requires fixing catheter 1 into the top member, but is has the advantage of reducing foam formation when air is inadvertently aspirated. FIG. 5 further illustrates alternative embodiments of the chamber 6, wherein the float 7 is releasably held by gravity near its seated position so that it need not travel very far to seal off the suction tube. The float-containing cylinder 22 may be slightly tapered (phantom line 25) to prevent float 7 from falling to the bottom. Alternatively, several vertical ribs 26 may prevent float 7 from falling to the bottom. FIG. 6 shows an alternative check-valve arrangement, wherein a floating cylinder 27 has a conical top 28. Alternatively, the top may have a hemispherical shape. The seat for the valve is a downward-directed tube 29. FIGS. 7,8 show another embodiment wherein the cylinder and upper seal and connections are molded in one top piece 30 and a circular disc cap 31 is sealed to the bottom to form the chamber 6. The molded top piece 30 includes a large lower cylindrical chamber 32 communicating at its upper end with the two cylindrical chambers 21 and 22 for the catheter inlet and the float respectively. The float 7 is held in a tapered cylinder 33 by a retaining screen 34 (FIG. 9). The retaining screen 34 is held in place by a jam fit on retaining lugs 35 molded into top 30. The lugs 35 fit into slightly smaller notches 36 cut in screen 34. The screen 34 also helps to stop bubbles as does the narrow space between float 7 and cylinder 33. Fluid flow to the lower extremity 29 (FIG. 6) of the vacuum port must pass through this narrow space between buoyant float and the float valve housing cylinder which, as shown, is open only at its lower end. This narrow space will prevent the passage of foam and act as a baffle in cooperation with the space above the float to inhibit the passage of droplets. The check valve action of float 7 in seat 20 in sealing off the suction tube is as previously described.

The above disclosed invention has a number of particular features which should preferably be employed in combination although each is useful separately without departure from the scope of the invention. While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made within the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.