US5743869A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Medical device and method for treating ascites
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1996-01-26
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Granted: 1998-04-28
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Expires: 2016-01-26
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a medical device comprising an external, flexible shell forming a fluid chamber reservoir and housing a valve, having a folded membrane which forms a chamber with a slit-like opening. The inlet tube in communication with the chamber extends outwardly through an opening in the shell. The inlet tube has a free end with holes and rigid fins. The free end of the inlet tube in communication with abdomen. There is an outlet tube in communication with the reservoir. The outlet tube has a free end with holes. The free end of the outlet tube is in communication with the jugular vein of a patient. Also disclosed is a method of using this device to treat ascites.
Inventors
- 👤 Abdul Mateen Ahmed
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:37
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/007; A61F9/00781; A61M; A61M27/00; A61M27/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A medical device for treating a patient suffering from ascites, including a valve having a membrane which forms a slit-like opening, said membrane having an aperture therein, said valve being formed, at least in part, by a pair of plates, which maintain the membrane in tension, a flexible shell which encloses the valve, said shell having a reservoir and first and second ends, with said first and second ends having openings therein, an inlet tube in communication with the valve through the aperture, said inlet tube having an end portion received by the opening at the first end of the shell, and a free end adapted to be inserted into the abdomen of a patient, and an outlet tube having one end in communication with the reservoir of the shell, said outlet tube having one end portion received by the opening at the second end of the shell and a free end adapted to be insert into the jugular vein of the patient.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A medical device for treating a patient suffering from ascites, including a valve having a membrane which forms a slit-like opening, said membrane having an aperture therein, said valve being formed, at least in part, by a pair of plates, which maintain the membrane in tension, a flexible shell which encloses the valve, said shell having a reservoir and first and second ends, with said first and second ends having openings therein, an inlet tube in communication with the valve through the aperture, said inlet tube having an end portion received by the opening at the first end of the shell, and a free end adapted to be inserted into the abdomen of a patient, and an outlet tube having one end in communication with the reservoir of the shell, said outlet tube having one end portion received by the opening at the second end of the shell and a free end adapted to be insert into the jugular vein of the patient.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the shell is molded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the membrane is folded to form the slit-like opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the membrane is formed into a chamber having a trapezoidal configuration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the shell expands or contracts in response to pressure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the valve is a one-way flow device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the free end of the inlet tube is open and there are a plurality of holes the free end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The medical device of claim 7 where the free end of the inlet tube includes a rigid fin structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The medical device of claim 1 wherein the free end of the outlet tube is open.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The medical device of claim 9 where adjacent the free end there are a plurality of holes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the inlet tube has a telescoping section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The medical device of claim 1 wherein the flexible shell responds to manual pressure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the shell is generally of an ovoid configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the shell is compressed when external pressure is applied to said shell.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The medical device of claim 14 where the shell resists compression when said outlet tube is blocked.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The medical device of claim 14 where the shell remains compressed when said inlet tube is blocked.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
116 words
A medical device for draining fluids including a flexible shell, an inlet tube having a first end in communication with fluid and a second end received in the shell, a rigid fin structure at the first end of the inlet tube, a one-way directional flow device housed within said shell and in communication with the second end of the inlet tube, said one-way directional flow device having a pair of overlying membranes in tension which provide a slit-like opening, a fluid chamber reservoir within said shell said reservoir serving to collect drained fluid exiting the one-way directional flow device through the slit-like opening, and an outlet tube in communication with the second end of said shell.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
116 words
A medical device for draining fluids including a flexible shell, an inlet tube having a first end in communication with fluid and a second end received in the shell, a rigid fin structure at the first end of the inlet tube, a one-way directional flow device housed within said shell and in communication with the second end of the inlet tube, said one-way directional flow device having a pair of overlying membranes in tension which provide a slit-like opening, a fluid chamber reservoir within said shell said reservoir serving to collect drained fluid exiting the one-way directional flow device through the slit-like opening, and an outlet tube in communication with the second end of said shell.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The medical device of claim 17 where the one-way directional flow device is formed, at least in part, by plates holding in tension the membrane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The medical device of claim 17 where the shell is compressed when external pressure is applied to said shell.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The medical device of claim 17 where the shell resists compression when said outlet tube is blocked.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The medical device of claim 17 where said shell remains compressed when said inlet tube is blocked.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The medical device of claim 17 where the inlet tube has a telescoping section.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The medical device of claim 1 where the membrane is formed into a chamber having a trapezoidal configuration.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
238 words
A method for treating ascites by draining the fluid from the peritoneal or abdominal cavity of a patient, including the steps of (a) providing a medical device, including a valve having a membrane which forms a slit-like opening, said membrane having an aperture therein, a flexible shell which encloses the valve, said shell having a reservoir and first and second ends, with said first and second ends having openings therein, an inlet tube in communication with the valve through the aperture, said inlet tube having an end portion received by the opening at the first end of the shell, and a free end adapted to be inserted in the abdomen, and an outlet tube in communication with the reservoir, said outlet tube having one end portion received by the opening at the second end of the shell, and a free end adapted to be inserted into the patient's jugular vein. (b) attaching the medical device to the patient with the flexible shell facing in a direction which allows said shell to be depressed, (c) inserting the free end of inlet tube into the abdomen to enable the ascites fluid to drain through the free end of the inlet tube, through the valve, and into the reservoir in the medical device, (d) inserting the free end of the outlet tube into the jugular vein of the patient to enable fluid to drain from the fluid reservoir into the heart.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
238 words
A method for treating ascites by draining the fluid from the peritoneal or abdominal cavity of a patient, including the steps of (a) providing a medical device, including a valve having a membrane which forms a slit-like opening, said membrane having an aperture therein, a flexible shell which encloses the valve, said shell having a reservoir and first and second ends, with said first and second ends having openings therein, an inlet tube in communication with the valve through the aperture, said inlet tube having an end portion received by the opening at the first end of the shell, and a free end adapted to be inserted in the abdomen, and an outlet tube in communication with the reservoir, said outlet tube having one end portion received by the opening at the second end of the shell, and a free end adapted to be inserted into the patient's jugular vein. (b) attaching the medical device to the patient with the flexible shell facing in a direction which allows said shell to be depressed, (c) inserting the free end of inlet tube into the abdomen to enable the ascites fluid to drain through the free end of the inlet tube, through the valve, and into the reservoir in the medical device, (d) inserting the free end of the outlet tube into the jugular vein of the patient to enable fluid to drain from the fluid reservoir into the heart.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 24 where the valve includes a pair of plates holding the membrane in tension, with the membrane forming a chamber and the slit-like opening closing and opening in response to the internal pressure within the chamber, said pressure with the chamber increasing and decreasing as the fluid pressure varies.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 24 where the shell is compressed when external pressure is applied to said shell.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 24 where the shell resists compression when said outlet tube is blocked.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 24 where the shell remains compressed when said inlet tube is blocked.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 24 where the shell is depressed and then allowed to refill, repeating these steps of depressing and refilling to use the medical device as a pump to maximize the removal of ascites fluid from the abdomen.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-04-27 | 2001-10-27 | 2002-04-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-27 | 2005-10-27 | 2006-04-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-27 | 2009-10-27 | 2010-04-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |