An apparatus for managing fluid buildup in an internal cavity that may allow automated or semi-automated management of fluid at the treatment site. The apparatus may include a drain fluidly coupled to a negative-pressure source and a vent valve. The may further include a control system configured to operate the negative-pressure source to manage fluid buildup at the treatment site. The apparatus may be particularly advantageous for management of fluid buildup in serous cavities, such as pleural effusion or ascites.

A chest drainage system including a collection device configured to receive fluid from the pleural cavity of a patient. A sensor is included to detect a pressure differential in the fluid. A display is configured to display a trend in occurrences of changes in pressure of the fluid over time in predetermined time increments based on a number of detections of pressure differentials that exceed a predetermined pressure differential during each of the predetermined time increments. The trend is correlative to the percentage of time that the patient is deemed to have an air leak in the pleural cavity in the predetermined time increments. The trend is derived from a ratio of the quantity of respiratory cycles of the patient for which the predetermined pressure differential is detected (QRC.sub.leak) in the predetermined time increments to the total quantity of respiratory cycles of the patient in respective predetermined time increments (QRC.sub.total).

A catheter connector assembly which may be included with a corporeal drainage system, and a method of draining fluid from a bodily cavity. The catheter connector assembly may include a catheter connector and a drainage line connector. The catheter connector may include a connector body with a coupling feature, a deformable sealing element, and a retaining member. The drainage line connector may include a drainage line body first and second hinge clips, and an actuator. The actuator is designed to deform the deformable sealing element when the drainage line connector is coupled to the catheter connector.

A chest drainage system including a collection device configured to receive fluid from the pleural cavity of a patient. A sensor is included to detect a pressure differential in the fluid. A display is configured to display a trend in occurrences of changes in pressure of the fluid over time in predetermined time increments based on a number of detections of pressure differentials that exceed a predetermined pressure differential during each of the predetermined time increments. The trend is correlative to the percentage of time that the patient is deemed to have an air leak in the pleural cavity in the predetermined time increments. The trend is derived from a ratio of the quantity of respiratory cycles of the patient for which the predetermined pressure differential is detected (QRC.sub.leak) in the predetermined time increments to the total quantity of respiratory cycles of the patient in respective predetermined time increments (QRC.sub.total).

A body fluid drainage device for draining a fluid from a body cavity is provided. The device comprises, a channel switching module for coupling to a fluid containment device, the channel switching module for controlling a direction of flow of the fluid with respect to the fluid containment device; a flow rate actuator for coupling to the fluid containment device, the flow rate actuator for controlling a rate of fluid flow into the fluid containment device; a processing module coupled to the channel switching module, the processing module being configured to control a fluid flow between the body cavity and the fluid containment device and to control a fluid flow from the fluid containment device using the channel switching module; and wherein the processing module is capable of controlling the fluid flow between the body cavity and the fluid containment device based on a pre-determined fluid volume in the fluid containment device. The fluid containment device may be optionally provided.

A method and apparatus for fluid removal from a patient includes a disposable fluid removal subassembly and a portable drive subassembly that manage controlled extraction of a fluid from a patient. The fluid removal subassembly is configured for accessing a fluid filled cavity of a patient and also coupled with a fluid flow inducer having an inflow fluid intake and an outflow fluid output. The entire fluid removal subassembly, inclusive of a connector, a fluid conduit, and the fluid flow inducer, but exclusive of the outflow fluid output and a collection bag, is fluidly sealed from an external environment, and un-vented to the external environment. The fluid removal system enables a closed-loop fluid path between the patient through to the fluid flow inducer, which is under direct control by the patient of flow rate and therefore resulting pressure in the fluid path.

A body cavity irrigation and drainage system and a related method. The body cavity irrigation and drainage system may include two pigtail catheters that are coupled together so that when in a use state the tail portions of the two pigtail catheters curl in opposite directions. The two pigtail catheters may be coupled together so that they are maintained in a fixed relative orientation. The system may also include a sheath having a cavity within which both of the two pigtail catheters are positioned during an insertion process. The sheath may be a peel-away type sheath such that the sheath can be torn and removed from the body cavity while the two pigtail catheters remain in the body cavity.

For a ventilating appliance (1) consisting of a ventilating device (2) having an air outlet channel (3) and an air inlet channel (4), two hoses (5, 6) which are connected to one of the two channels (3, 4) of the ventilating device (2), an air distributor (7), on which three openings (8, 9, 10) are provided, which are coupled to one of the two hoses (5, 6) of the ventilating device (2) and to a tube (11) which can be inserted into the mouth or nose space (22) of a living being (21), shall the ventilating appliance (1) be improved that a patient to be ventilated undergoes a release of mucus and its removed from the lung area with cost-effective measures, without the need for foreign objects or switching off the ventilating appliance (1). This is solved in that a respiratory tract therapy device (31) is inserted in the inhalation hose (5), in that an air flow (12) is generated by the ventilating device (2), through which an intermittent air pressure fluctuation arises with the respiratory tract therapy device (31), and in that the air pressure fluctuations generated in this way are passed on or transmitted in the lung region (23) of the living being (21).

For a ventilating appliance (1) consisting of a ventilating device (2) having an air outlet channel (3) and an air inlet channel (4), two hoses (5, 6) which are connected to one of the two channels (3, 4) of the ventilating device (2), an air distributor (7), on which three openings (8, 9, 10) are provided, which are coupled to one of the two hoses (5, 6) of the ventilating device (2) and to a tube (11) which can be inserted into the mouth or nose space (22) of a living being (21), shall the ventilating appliance (1) be improved that a patient to be ventilated undergoes a release of mucus and its removed from the lung area with cost-effective measures, without the need for foreign objects or switching off the ventilating appliance (1). This is solved in that a respiratory tract therapy device (31) is inserted in the inhalation hose (5), in that an air flow (12) is generated by the ventilating device (2), through which an intermittent air pressure fluctuation arises with the respiratory tract therapy device (31), and in that the air pressure fluctuations generated in this way are passed on or transmitted in the lung region (23) of the living being (21).

A catheter connector assembly which may be included with a corporeal drainage system, and a method of draining fluid from a bodily cavity. The catheter connector assembly may include a catheter connector and a drainage line connector. The catheter connector may include a connector body with a coupling feature, a deformable sealing element, and a retaining member. The drainage line connector may include a drainage line body first and second hinge clips, and an actuator. The actuator is designed to deform the deformable sealing element when the drainage line connector is coupled to the catheter connector.