WO2013104984A1

WO2013104984A1 - An aspiration device

Info

Publication number: WO2013104984A1
Application number: PCT/IB2013/000047
Authority: WO
Inventors: Katherine Virginia SINCLAIR
Original assignee: Sinclair Katherine Virginia
Priority date: 2012-01-15
Filing date: 2013-01-15
Publication date: 2013-07-18
Also published as: AU2014100851A4; ZA201405349B

Abstract

An aspiration device which includes a barrel, a plunger engaged to and reciprocally movable relative to the barrel, a sealing cap attached to a first end of the barrel and a penetrating element engaged with a first end of the plunger wherein, in use, the cap is brought into sealing contact with a person's skin, over a boil or cyst, and, when the plunger is advanced in the barrel, the penetrating element passes through a hole in the sealing cap and pierces the skin to remove bodily fluid from the boil or cyst when the plunger is withdrawn.

Description

AN ASPIRATION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to an aspiration device for the withdrawing of bodily fluids from body cavities and/or skin complaints and/or boils and cysts.

[0002] Many aspiration procedures are invasive and involve a fine hypodermic needle with a syringe-line container behind the needle, containing a partial vacuum. The needle penetrates deeply into a person's skin and, with the aid of a partial vacuum, withdraws the fluid or tissue from the skin. The vacuum is often created within the container, as described in US 4,036,232 and US 5,098,416, by some externally located vacuum creating means.

[0003] These procedures often require local or general anesthetic.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide for a method and a means for aspiration of bodily fluids, lying in boils or cysts just below the skin surface, in a less invasive manner.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention provides an aspiration device for the aspiration of bodily fluids on or just beneath the skin surface, employing a technique that does not require an anaesthetic.

The invention provides an aspiration device which includes a barrel, a plunger which sealing engages with an inside of the barrel to reciprocally move therein, a holed sealing cap which is elastically deformable and which is attached to a first end of the barrel and a penetrating element which is engaged with a first end of the plunger to pass through a hole in the sealing cap when the plunger is advanced in the barrel. [0005] The plunger may include a zone of weakness at a point along its length, preferably at a point adjacent the first end. The zone may in the form of a circumferential recess or rebate formation, where the plunger may be snapped from the penetrating element. [0006] In use, the sealing cap may be brought into sealing contact with a person's skin over an area to be aspirated so that, when the plunger is advanced in the barrel, the penetrating element may pass through a hole in the sealing cap to pierce the skin, and, when the plunger is withdrawn, a partial vacuum may be formed in the barrel behind the plunger to remove bodily fluids from the area. [0007] The sealing cap may be made of a suitable elastically deformable material, for example rubber or the like.

[0008] The sealing cap may have a truncated conical shape shaped, with an annular rim, attachable to the first end of the barrel and the hole at an apex of the cap. [0009] The sealing cap may be interchangeable with another sealing cap of differing size and shape according to requirement.

[0010] The penetrating element may be detachably engaged to the first end of the plunger. Engagement of the penetrating element to the plunger may be effected by a fastening means, which includes a clasp, which may be located on the first end of the plunger, and a clasp engagement means, which may be located on the penetrating means. Preferably the fastening means is a male-female type connector which includes a male nozzle formation on the first end of the plunger and a female formation on the end of the penetrating means.

[0011] Alternatively, the fastening means may be a bayonet type connector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an aspiration device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 illustrates, in partial longitudinal section, the device of Figure 1 ; and

Figures 3, 4 and 5 each illustrate a different embodiment of a nozzle of the device. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013] Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates an aspiration device 10 in accordance with the invention which includes a barrel 12 and a plunger 14 which reciprocates within the barrel. The plunger, has at one end a head-piece 16 which sealing engages with the inside wall 18 of the barrel and at an opposing end a thumb-piece 20 which is shaped to receive a thumb of a user to pull the plunger outwardly and inwardly with respect to the barrel. The barrel has, mounted to an upper outer side of the barrel, a finger-piece 22 which is appropriately shaped to receive two fingers of a user whilst the user's thumb is engaged with the thumb- piece 20. The barrel has a forward end 24 and an opposing open end 26. The plunger also includes a zone of weakness 20A at a point between the head-piece and the finger piece.

[0014] The embodiment of Figure 1 shows the zone of weakness in the form of an annular recess, which creates a point where the plunger can be snapped from the head piece.

[0015] A rubber sealing cap 28, which can be of any suitable shape depending on application as illustrated in 3, 4 and 5 is attached to the forward end 24 of the barrel by engaging a collar 29 of the cap to circumferentially engage the forward end. The sealing cap is holed with an aperture 30.

[0016] Mounted to the head-piece, by means of an engagement means, is an aspiration needle 34. As illustrated in Figure 2, the engagement means includes a male formation 32, projecting from a face 38 on the head piece, which engage with a complimentary female formation 36 in the needle. The male formation fits into the female formation and, on twisting the needle in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, secures the needle to the head piece.

[0017] In use of the aspiration device 10, with a suitably shaped sealing clap 28 attached to the forward end 24 of the barrel, a first action involves a user appropriately placing his fingers and thumb into the respective finger and thumb pieces 22 and 20, pushing downwardly on the plunger so that the plunger head, with the needle 34, projecting axially towards the aperture 30, moves towards a boil or a sore on a person's skin 40 that requires aspiration. The aperture 30 of the sealing cap 28 is placed over the boil or sore and the needle, at a lower limit of the headpiece, to penetrate the boil or sore as it passes through the aperture 30 allowing body fluids from the boil or sore to aspirate.

[0018] To remove the aspirated body fluids, the user pulls on the thumb-piece 20 to move the plunger 14 within the barrel upwardly towards an open end 26. This action creates a partial vacuum within a forward cavity 44, maintained by the sealing cap 28 on the skin 40. Pressure of this partial vacuum causes the aspirated fluids to be sucked into the forward cavity and thus is removed from the boil or sore.

[0019] After use, the plunger 14 is removed from the barrel and is snapped free from the penetrating element which is attached to the head-piece 16, at the narrowing 20A. The head-piece and the penetrating device remain in the barrel, preventing accidental pricking by the used penetrating device. This feature prevents the reuse of a used aspiration device.

[0020] The bodily fluids can be discarded from the device at user's convenience.

[0021] The bodily fluids, now contained within the barrel 12 of the aspiration device 10 can be removed of the users convenience.

Claims

1. An aspiration device for the aspiration of bodily fluids on or just beneath the skin surface, employing a technique that does not require an anaesthetic which includes a barrel, a plunger which sealing engages with an inside of the barrel to reciprocally move therein, a holed sealing cap which is elastically deformable and which is attached to a first end of the barrel and a penetrating element which is engaged with a first end of the plunger to pass through a hole in the sealing cap when the plunger is advanced in the barrel.

2. An aspiration device according to claim 1 wherein the plunger includes a zone of weakness at a point along its length,

3. An aspiration device according to claim 2 wherein the zone of weakness is at a point adjacent the first end.

4. An aspiration device according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the zone is in the form of a circumferential recess or rebate formation where the plunger may be snapped from the penetrating element.

5. An aspiration device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the sealing cap is made of a suitable elastically deformable material, for example rubber or the like.

6. An aspiration device according to any one of claims 1 or 5 wherein the sealing cap has a truncated conical shape shaped, with an annular rim, attachable to the first end of the barrel.

7. An aspiration device according to claim 6 wherein the hole is at an apex of the cap.

8. An aspiration device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the sealing cap is interchangeable with another sealing cap of differing size and shape according to requirement.

9. An aspiration device according to any one of claim 1 to 8 wherein the penetrating element is detachably engaged to the first end of the plunger.

10. An aspiration device according to claim 9 wherein the engagement of the penetrating element to the plunger is effected by a fastening means.

11. An aspiration device according to claim 10 wherein the fastening means includes a clasp, located on the first end of the plunger, and a clasp engagement means, located on the penetrating means.

12. An aspiration device according to claim 11 wherein the fastening means is a male-female type connector which includes a male nozzle formation on the first end of the plunger and a female formation on the end of the penetrating means.

13. An aspiration device according to any one of claim 10 to 12 wherein the fastening means is a bayonet type connector.