A body cavity drainage device includes a drainage tube with a distal end configured for insertion into the body cavity of a patient, a fluid outlet at a proximal end of the drainage tube; and an activation apparatus coupled to the drainage tube between the proximal end of the drainage tube and the distal end of the drainage tube. The activation apparatus may be configured to alter a position of the distal end of the drainage tube in response to an input at a control device of the activation apparatus, and a first portion of the drainage tube extending from the activation apparatus toward the distal end may be at least substantially coaxial with a second portion of the drainage tube extending from the activation apparatus toward the proximal end. Methods relate to forming a body cavity drainage devices.

A body cavity irrigation and drainage system including a catheter apparatus that has a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, a first flow channel extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a second flow channel extending from the proximal end to the distal end and being fluidly isolated from the first flow channel. The catheter apparatus may alterable between: (1) a first state in which the first and second flow channels are linear and parallel to the longitudinal axis along an entire length of the first and second flow channels; and (2) a second state in which a distal portion of the first flow channel curls away from the longitudinal axis in a first direction and a distal portion of the second flow channel curls away from the longitudinal axis in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

A single use pleural drainage set for medical use, which allows drainage by all physicians of air (pneumothorax), blood (hemothorax) and all other liquids (hydrothorax) accumulated abnormally in the thoracic cavity (pleural space (I)).

A chest wound seal for treating traumatic pneumothorax following a penetrating chest wound. The chest wound seal comprises a wound pad with an absorbent bottom surface and a nonporous top surface embedded with unidirectional valves that allow evacuation of air and fluid from the pleural cavity but prevents re-entry of air into the thorax. A central vacuum column mounted over at least one unidirectional valve. The chest wound seal further comprises a plurality of wound pad segments radiating from the central vacuum column, wherein each segment comprises at least one manual valve configured to create a separate sealed area against the skin surface to suit body types with different size and morphological features. The central vacuum column is adapted to be connected to a vacuum pump which enables evacuation of harmful air and fluid from the pleural cavity thereby reducing the shock induced by hypoxia and increasing patient survivability.

A thoracic catheter system comprises a flexible thoracic catheter for inserting into a thoracic cavity of a human. A distal end of the thoracic catheter has a plurality of apertures. A proximate end of the thoracic catheter is designed to extend out of the thoracic cavity. A three way valve is one of fused with and removablely attached to the proximal end of the thoracic catheter.

A single stage instrument is used to insert a chest drainage tube into the inter-pleural space to facilitate drainage. The instrument is scissor-like with cylinder-like channels to slidably enclose the distal section of the tube therein when closed. The tip of the instrument is curved to enter the skin incision and the offset pleural incision whereafter the instrument is rotated 180 degrees to align the curved tip with the pleural space. The curved tip facilitates sliding the chest drainage tube through the instrument to effect sufficient insertion length. Once the instrument is in place, the tube is slid along the instrument to ensure that all drainage holes in the chest drainage tube are within the pleural cavity. Thereafter, the instrument is withdrawn leaving the chest drainage tube in place. After withdrawal of the instrument, it is opened laterally for lateral disengagement with the chest drainage tube.

A needle assembly for pleural space insufflation is disclosed. The needle assembly has an outer shaft defining one or more pliable tissue receivers. The needle assembly also has a needle moveable within the outer shaft from a retracted position to an engaged position that does not extend past a distal end of the outer shaft. A method of pleural space insufflation is also disclosed. A parietal pleura is contacted with a distal end of an outer shaft that defines one or more pliable tissue receivers. The distal end of the outer shaft is pushed against the parietal pleura so that a portion of the parietal pleura enters the one or more pliable tissue receivers. A needle is advanced within the outer shaft so that the needle pierces the parietal pleura.

A drainage system that includes a mechanized surgical drain and drive mechanism for draining body matter from a body cavity. The mechanized surgical drain comprises a carrier mechanism within a surgical drain tube. The drive mechanism provides motion capabilities to a carrier mechanism within the lumen of the surgical drain tube. The motion capabilities of the carrier mechanism inhibits occlusion of the surgical drain tube by dislodging body matter and moving the body matter through the surgical drain to a suction port for removal to a collection container.

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.

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).