An apparatus for dissolving a solidified mass in vivo

Claim 2

Apparatus for oscillating an agitating fluid into and out from a localized body area, comprising: a pump (12) for forcing the agitating fluid into and drawing the agitating fluid from the body area in a continuous, cyclical manner; and fluid delivery means (14) for connecting the pump (12) to the body area to conduct the agita­ting fluid therebetween, and including i) a fluid trap (16,30) for collecting body fluid aspirated from the body area, and including means for discharging body fluid from the fluid trap (16,30), ii) a first fluid line (20) for connecting the pump (12) to the fluid trap (16,30) to conduct fluid therebetween, and iii) a second fluid line (22) for connecting the fluid trap (16,30) to the body area, with the fluid trap (16,30) located in series between the pump (12) and the body area, to conduct fluid between the fluid trap (16,30) and the body area.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the dis­charging means includes: a body fluid outlet (52) formed in a top of the fluid trap (30); and a body fluid discharge tube (54) extending down­ward from the body fluid outlet (52), into a lower portion of the fluid trap (30).

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the fluid trap (30) further includes gas discharge means (56,60,62) to vent from the fluid trap (30) gases and vapors that collect therein.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein: the fluid trap (30) includes a liquid container (32) and a cover (34) extending over the container (32); and the cover (34) forms and inlet (40) for receiving the first fluid line (20) and an outlet (42) for receiving the second fluid line (22).

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein: the cover (34) further forms a body fluid out­let (52) and a gas vent (60); the means for discharging body fluid from the fluid trap (30) includes a body fluid discharge tube (54) extending downward from the body fluid outlet (52), into the liquid container (32) to conduct body fluid therefrom and through the body fluid out­let (52); and the fluid trap further includes means (62) normal­ly closing the gas vent (60).

Claim 7

Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, where­in the pump (100) includes: oscillating means (105) to alternately inject the agitating fluid into and aspirate the agitating fluid from the body area through the fluid delivery means (14) to agitate fluid in the body area; power means (106) connected to the oscillating means (105) to drive said oscillating means (105); first adjustable means (166,167) connected to the power means (106) to control the rate at which the agitating fluid is injected into the body area; and second adjustable means (166,167) connected to the power means (106) to control the rate at which the agitating fluid is aspirated from the body area.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the pump (100) further comprises auxiliary inlet means (160) to conduct additional agitating fluid into the pump (100) during operation of the pump (100).

Claim 9

Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pump (100) comprises: means forming a pump inlet (160,161,162) and a fluid chamber (122) in communication therewith for holding the agitating fluid; oscillating means (105) for forcing fluid outward from the fluid chamber (122) and into the body area, and for drawing fluid inward from the body area and into the fluid chamber (122); power means (106) connected to the oscillating means (105) to drive said oscillating means (105); and control means connected to the power means (106) to control movement of the oscillating means (105), the control means including (i) switch means (200a) having a first state actuating the power means (106) to force fluid outward from the pump (100) and into the body area, and a second state actuating the power means (106) to draw fluid from the body area and inward into the pump (100), the switch means (200a) including first adjustable means to vary the rate at which fluid is forced into the body area, and second adjustable means to vary the rate at which fluid is drawn from the body area, and (ii) switch control means (200b) to change the switch means between the first and second states, the switch control means (200b) including (A) detector means (166,167) generating a first signal when the oscillating means (105) reaches a first po­sition and generating a second signal when the oscillating means (105) reaches a second position, and (B) means connected to the detector means (166,167) for receiving the first and second control signals therefrom, to change the switch means (200a) to the second state in response to receiving the first control signal from the first detector (166), and to change the switch means (200a) to the first state in response to receiving the second control signal from the second detector (167).

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein: the oscillating means (105) includes a piston sup­ported for reciprocating movement in the fluid chamber (122); and the detector means includes (i) a front detector (166) generating the first control signal when the piston (105) reaches a pre­determined forward position in the fluid chamber (122), and (ii) a back detector (167) generating the second control signal when the piston (105) reaches a pre­determined rearward position in the fluid cham­ber (122).

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein: the power means includes an electric motor (106) having a rotatable shaft (151); the switch means (200a) includes (i) a first relay coil having open and closed po­sitions, (ii) a second relay coil having open and closed po­sitions, and (iii) means connecting the relay coils to the motor (106) and actuating the motor (106) to rotate the shaft (151) in a first direction when the first relay coil is closed, and actuating the motor (106) to rotate the shaft (151) in a second direction when the second relay coil is closed; and the means connected to the detector means includes a logic sub-circuit to open the first relay coil and close the second relay coil in response to receiving the first control signal from the front de­tector (166), and to close the first relay coil and open the second relay coil in response to receiving the second control signal from the back de­tector (167).

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein: the means connecting the relay coils to the motor includes (i) a controller having a control input connection, (ii) a first line connecting the control input to the first relay coil, and (iii) a second line connecting the control input to the second relay coil; the first adjustable means includes a first variable potentiometer located in the first line to vary the amplitude of a voltage signal applied to the control input of the controller; and the second adjustable means includes a second variable potentiometer located in the second line to vary the amplitude of a voltage signal applied to the control input of the controller.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pump (100) comprises: a support frame (101) including (i) a side section (107) forming a front opening, (ii) a front plate (110) extending across the front opening and forming a pump inlet (127), and (iii) means releasably connecting the front plate to the side section; a cylinder (102) for holding the agitating fluid, located within the support frame and forming a fluid chamber (122) in communication with the pump in­let (127); a piston (105) extending into the fluid chamber (122) and supported for forward and rearward reciprocating movement therein, to inject fluid out­ward from the fluid chamber (122) and into the body area and to aspirate fluid from the body area and inward into the fluid chamber (122); power means (106) supported by the frame (101) and connected to the piston (105) to reciprocate the piston (105) in the fluid chamber (122), and means releasably connecting the cylinder (102) to the support frame (101) including (i) support means (132) longitudinally extending rear­ward from the front plate (110), and (ii) a retaining plate (131) supported by the support means (132), transversely extending across the cy­linder (102), rearward thereof, and capturing the cylinder (102) between the front plate (110) and the retaining plate (131).

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein: the support frame further includes a back plate (111) connected to a back end of the side section (107); the support means (132) includes first and second support rods (135,136) extending rearward from the front plate (110); the rods (135,136) are connected to the back plate (111), extend forward therefrom, through the front plate (110), and have front ends located for­ward thereof; the retaining plate (131) is mounted on the support rods (135,136); and the support means (132) further includes (i) means limiting longitudinal movement of the re­taining plate (131) on the rods (135,136), and (ii) means (142) releasably mounted on the front ends of the rods (135,136), forward of the front plate (110), to hold the rods (135,136) tightly ex­tending between the front and back plates (110,111).

Claim 15

A pump for directing an oscillating fluid into and out from a body area, the pump (100) comprising: means forming a pump inlet (127) and a fluid cham­ber (122) in communication therewith for holding the fluid; oscillating means (105) for forcing fluid outward from the fluid chamber (122) and into the body area, and for drawing fluid inward from the body area and into the fluid chamber (122); power means (106) connected to the oscillating means (105) to drive said oscillating means (105); and control means (200b) connected to the power means (106) to control movement of the oscillating means (105), the control means (200b) including (i) switch means (200a) having a first state actuating the power means (106) to force fluid out­ward from the pump (12,100) and into the body area, and a second state actuating the power means (106) to draw fluid from the body area and inward into the pump (12,100), the switch means (200a) including first adjustable means to vary the rate at which fluid is forced into the body area, and second adjustable means to vary the rate at which fluid is forced into the body area, and (ii) switch control means (200b) to change the switch means (200a) between the first and second states, and (A) detector means (166,167) generating a first signal when the oscillating means reaches a first position and generating a second signal when the oscillating means reaches a second position, and (B) means connected to the detector means (166,167) for receiving the first and second control signals therefrom, to change the switch means (200a) to the second state in response to receiving the first control signal from the first detector (166), and to change the switch means (200a) to the first state in response to receiving the second control signal from the second detector (167).

Claim 16

A pump for directing an oscillating fluid into and out from a body area, the pump (100) comprising: means forming a pump inlet (127) and a fluid cham­ber (122) in communication therewith for holding the fluid; oscillating means (105) for forcing fluid outward from the fluid chamber (122) and into the body area, and for drawing fluid inward from the body area and into the fluid chamber (122); power means (106) connected to the oscillating means (105) to drive said oscillating means (105); and control means (200b) connected to the power means (106) to control movement of the oscillating means (105), the control means (200b) including (i) switch means (200a) having a first state actuating the power means (106) to force fluid out­ward from the pump (12,100) and into the body area, and a second state actuating the power means (106) to draw fluid from the body area and inward into the pump (12,100), the switch means (200a) including first adjustable means to vary the rate at which fluid is forced into the body area, and second adjustable means to vary the rate at which fluid is forced into the body area, and (ii) switch control means (200b) to change the switch means (200a) between the first and second states, and (A) detector means (166,167) generating a first signal when the oscillating means reaches a first position and generating a second signal when the oscillating means reaches a second position, and (B) means connected to the detector means (166,167) for receiving the first and second control signals therefrom, to change the switch means (200a) to the second state in response to receiving the first control signal from the first detector (166), and to change the switch means (200a) to the first state in response to receiving the second control signal from the second detector (167).

Claim 17

A pump according to claim 14 wherein: the oscillating means includes a piston (105) sup­ported for reciprocating movement in the fluid cham­ber (122); the detector means includes (i) a front detector (166) generating the first control signal when the piston (105) reaches a pre­determined forward position, and (ii) a back detector (167) generating the second control signal when the piston (105) reaches a pre­determined rearward position; the power means includes an electric motor (106) having a rotatable shaft (151); the switch means (200a) includes (i) a first relay coil having open and closed positions, (ii) a second relay coil having open and closed positions, and (iii) means connecting the relay coils to the motor and actuating the motor to rotate the shaft in a first direction when the first relay coil is closed and actuating the motor to rotate the shaft in a second direction when the second relay coil is closed; and the means connected to the detector means includes a logic sub-circuit to open the first relay coil and close the second relay coil in response to receiving the first control signal from the front detector, and to close the first relay coil and open the second relay coil in response to receiving the second control signal from the back detector.

Claim 18

A pump according to claim 15 wherein: the means connecting the relay coils to the motor includes (i) a controller having a control input connection, (ii) a first line connecting the control input to the first relay coil, and (iii) a second line connecting the control input to the second relay coil; the first adjustable means includes a first variable potentiometer located in the first line to vary the amplitude of a voltage signal applied to the control input of the controller, and the second adjustable means includes a second variable potentiometer located in the second line to vary the amplitude of a voltage signal applied to the control input of the controller.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 17 wherein: the separating step includes the steps of (i) conducting the withdrawn body fluid and the with­drawn agitating fluid into a fluid trap (16,30), (ii) collecting the withdrawn body fluid in a first region of the fluid trap (16,30), and (iii) collecting the withdrawn agitating fluid in a second region of the fluid trap (16,30); and the step of reintroducing the separated agitating fluid includes the step of conducting agitating fluid from the second region of the fluid trap (16,30) back into the localized body area.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 18 wherein the separating step further includes the steps of: discharging body fluid from the fluid trap (16,30); and venting gases from the fluid trap (16,30) into the ambient.