A gas collection unit for use in monitoring and tracking a discharge of air from a patient includes a housing, a set of valves, and a plurality of tubes. The housing contains a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber wherein the chambers are in fluid communication with one another. The housing includes a fluid in the first chamber and the second chamber. The first valve regulates the passage of air flow from the patient into the first chamber and is located within a first tube coupled to the housing. The second valve is in communication with the second chamber. The second valve being configured to regulate the passage of air exiting the first chamber. The second chamber is subjected to a suction. The gas collection unit is operable with an air collection device as a retrofitted item.

An air leak detection system for chest tube collection systems includes a light emitting element, such as an LED, and a photodetector that can detect reflected light emission generated by the light emitting element. The air leak detection system can include a securement component, such as a transparent clip or adhesive, so that the air leak detection system is compatible with any conventional chest tube collection system. In certain embodiments, the light emitting element is positioned closer to the bottom portion of the water seal tube than the photodetector. In certain embodiments, the photodetector is positioned closer to a bottom of the water seal chamber than the light emitting element. In certain embodiments, the air leak detection system is part of a chest tube drainage system. A method of detecting an air leak in a chest tube collection system is also disclosed.

A low-cost and simple-to-use system and method to facilitate a prophylactic pleural lavage protocol at the time of thoracostomy tube placement for traumatic hemothorax in order to reduce the need for secondary intervention for the management of retained hemothorax. The invention may be used in conjunction with existing chest tubes and be administered at the time of initial chest tube placement, and continued at the bedside (by a bedside nurse) over the duration of chest drainage, as necessary. The system includes an operator device that semi-automatically administers a pleural lavage protocol consisting of saline instillation, and suction to slow the clotting process, prevent “gelling” of blood, and maintain drainability.

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 medical device for use with an associated tube inserted into an incision formed in skin or tissue of a patient includes a dressing including an opening sized to receive and allow movement of the associated tube. A valve is operatively connected with the opening of the dressing and includes a main body; and an opening formed in a portion of the main body. The opening is sized and dimensioned to accommodate the surgical tube.

A gas collection unit for use in monitoring and tracking a discharge of air from a patient includes a housing, a set of valves, and a plurality of tubes. The housing contains a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber wherein the chambers are in fluid communication with one another. The housing includes a fluid in the first chamber and the second chamber. The first valve regulates the passage of air flow from the patient into the first chamber and is located within a first tube coupled to the housing. The second valve is in communication with the second chamber. The second valve being configured to regulate the passage of air exiting the first chamber. The second chamber is subjected to a suction. The gas collection unit is operable with an air collection device as a retrofitted item.

A suction discharge unit of a suction discharge device includes a first unit and a second unit. The second unit controls the pressure inside the first unit. The first unit includes a storage chamber and a water sealing chamber. The water sealing chamber includes a first chamber communicating with the storage chamber, and a second chamber is sealed from the first chamber by sealing water. A negative pressure control unit is disposed in the second chamber. The negative pressure control unit includes a liquid retaining part retaining a liquid, a control member including control holes, and a support tube supporting the control member. The negative pressure control unit controls the pressure of the first chamber by causing gas to flow from the second chamber into the first chamber via the control holes and the liquid based on the pressure of the second chamber and the pressure of the first chamber.

A medical device for use with an associated tube inserted into an incision formed in skin or tissue of a patient includes a dressing including an opening sized to receive and allow movement of the associated tube. A valve is operatively connected with the opening of the dressing and includes a main body; and an opening formed in a portion of the main body. The opening is sized and dimensioned to accommodate the surgical tube.

A low-cost and simple-to-use system and method to facilitate a prophylactic pleural lavage protocol at the time of thoracostomy tube placement for traumatic hemothorax in order to reduce the need for secondary intervention for the management of retained hemothorax. The invention may be used in conjunction with existing chest tubes and be administered at the time of initial chest tube placement, and continued at the bedside (by a bedside nurse) over the duration of chest drainage, as necessary. The system includes an operator device that semi-automatically administers a pleural lavage protocol consisting of saline instillation, and suction to slow the clotting process, prevent “gelling” of blood, and maintain drainability.

The invention relates to a chest drainage system (100) for creating and maintaining a sub-atmospheric pressure within the pleural cavity and/or the mediastinum of a patient (P). The system has a chest drainage unit (CDU, 10) with an internal cavity (C) having a first chamber part (C1, 11) and a second chamber part (C2, 12) with an air outlet from the CDU, and a liquid seal chamber (LSC, 13). The second chamber part (C2, 12) of the chest drainage unit is connected to a carbon dioxide sensor (CO2S, 15) for detecting carbon dioxide in any air passing through the liquid seal chamber (LSC, 13), the carbon dioxide sensor being capable of detecting carbon dioxide by a visible color change from a chemical reaction occurring in the carbon dioxide sensor between carbon dioxide and a detector reactant (DC) positioned in the carbon dioxide sensor. Preliminary test performed by the inventor have demonstrated that the present invention is very effective in determine whether, or not, carbon dioxide is present in the air passing through the chest drainage unit, this information being highly important in the subsequent decision of continuing the treatment with the chest drainage system.