A flexible body fluid drain tube has substantially flat cross section with a pair of parallel longitudinal internal ribs along one substantially flat wall which are spaced apart a distance greater than their respective distances from the adjacent edges of the flat wall, a central internal longitudinal rib along the opposite substantially flat wall, and a pattern of drain holes along both flat walls in line with the parallel ribs. The ribs prevent the tube from collapsing even when the tube is subject to a very high vacuum and/or strong lateral compression forces due to body movements of the patient and the healing process at the drainage site. The central rib can wipe back and forth across the opposite wall to keep the tube passageway and drain holes clear when the flat tube walls are moved laterally relative to one another by body movements of the patient and the healing process.
A vena caval catheter is provided with a distal cage-like catheter tip having a cone connected to the inner side of the distal end of the tip within the cage and with the apex proximally of the distal end of the tip and coincident with the longitudinal axis of the catheter tip. The tip has a distal end and struts having smoothly contoured surfaces.
A unitary tube useful for the conduction of fluids to and from a site within the body of a patient. A particularly preferred embodiment is a drainage tube. The drainage tube, which may be continuously extruded from a biocompatible elastomer, has a variable exterior and interior cross section along its length. The drainage tube has collecting, transition and extension portions. The collecting portion, which has a hollow interior to receive fluids, is temporarily implanted within a wound site or other body cavity to enable body fluids to collect therein. The collecting portion is preferably a flattened tubular member having a width that exceeds the height. The interior wall of the collecting portion has longitudinal ribs or struts to prevent opposing walls from collapsing upon each other. The collecting portion preferably has fenestrations in its wall to permit the passage of body fluids from the surrounding tissue into the hollow interior lumen of the collection portion. The outer wall of the collecting portion tapers down by means of a transition portion to a tubular extension portion. The extension portion has a proximal end and a distal end which extends from the patient. The tube is also useful for delivering exogenous fluids to a site within the body of a patient.
Suction tube for surgical purposes, especially for draining of body compartments in connection to an organ, which suction tube comprise an inner tube, whose distal end is open and a outer tube, provided with a peripherally arranged holes, wherein the outer tube exhibits a cross section having at least one essentially flat side, being faced against the organ during draining.
This invention pertains to a method for attaching a coupling to a hose. The method includes providing a hose having longitudinal ribs on is inner circumference, associating a coupling with an end of the hose, and joining the coupling to the hose by performing a deformation operation, wherein the ribs have size, number and hardness limited to what the hose wall thickness and softness can absorb such that no leakage occurs after the deformation operation.
An implantable bone drain for relieving intraosseous pressure is formed of a bio-compatible material and has an outer surface shaped to prevent or limit movement of the drain out of position after implantation and there may be provided other means for retaining the bone drain in the chosen implanted position. There may be a plurality of drain apertures along the length of the drain. The implantable drain may be used in the treatment of bone pain in a range of arthritic and other orthopaedic disorders and may also retard degenerative disease.
