IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE FLUID CONTROL DEVICE IN PATIENT TREATMENT
Patent Information
- Application Number
- ES2025031812U
- Authority / Receiving Office
- ES · ES
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-24
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-09-18
Abstract
Description
IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE FLUID CONTROL DEVICE IN THE PATIENT TREATMENT OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to the field of medical devices for the control and monitoring of irrigation and drainage therapies. Specifically, it relates to a device for monitoring irrigation and drainage fluids in patient treatment, comprising elements for monitoring the weight of an irrigation fluid bag and a urine drainage bag. The device wirelessly receives data from the bags, displays their status in real time, and generates alarms when the irrigation fluid bag reaches a weight below the programmed value or when the drainage bag reaches predefined conditions. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the hospital setting, irrigation treatments usually require the use of medical fluid bags and drainage bags connected to the patient, the control of which is essential to ensure the effectiveness of the procedure and clinical safety. In the current state of the art, these bags are monitored manually by nursing staff, who periodically check both the remaining volume of irrigation fluid and the amount and characteristics of the drainage. These tasks are time-consuming, increase the workload, and can lead to errors or delays in detecting critical situations. Although monitoring devices exist in other medical contexts, specific developments are still needed to allow for more automated, precise, and efficient control of irrigation and drainage processes in hospitalized patients. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a device for controlling irrigation and drainage fluids in the treatment of patients that allows automatic monitoring of both the supply of irrigation fluid and the collection of drainage fluid from a patient. The device comprises a first assembly adaptable to an irrigation bag comprising a first coupling mechanism intended to be fixed to a fixed support, a first sensor linked to the first coupling mechanism, a first fixing element linked to the first sensor and in which the irrigation bag can be attached such that the first sensor can measure the weight of the irrigation bag when attached to the first fixing element. The device also comprises a second assembly adaptable to a drainage bag comprising a second coupling mechanism intended to be attached to a fixed support, a second sensor linked to the second coupling mechanism, a second fixing element linked to the second sensor in which the drainage bag can be attached such that the second sensor can measure the weight of the drainage bag when attached to the second fixing element. The device of the invention comprises at least one transmitter unit that is connected by a cable to the first and second sensors to receive the weight data captured by the sensors and is configured to transmit said data, and also comprises a receiver unit suitable for placement in a nearby area accessible by nursing staff, comprising a controller and an alarm element, which is wirelessly connected to the transmitter unit to receive the data transmitted from the transmitter unit and generate an alarm based on predetermined conditions. Preferably, the device of the invention further comprises a colorimetric sensor attachable to a patient drainage tube and connected to the transmitting unit via a cable. This sensor is configured to analyze the color of the urine in the drainage tube and generate data associated with the detection of specific shades or concentrations, for example, the presence of a reddish color indicative of bleeding. The incorporation of this sensor expands the monitoring capacity of the device, reducing the need for continuous visual inspections by healthcare personnel and providing earlier detection of critical situations. The transmitter unit forms the core of the device and is easily installed on a fixed support, such as a standard IV pole. Its attachable design allows the device to be used in hospital settings without modifying existing equipment, simplifying its implementation. This unit is designed to monitor the condition of the bags and is configured to wirelessly transmit data to the receiver unit. The first sensor allows for precise measurement of the remaining fluid level in the irrigation fluid bag. This automatic measurement reduces the need for periodic visual checks, optimizing healthcare staff time and preventing risks associated with unexpected irrigation interruptions. The second sensor measures the drainage volume in real time, providing continuous information on the treatment's progress and allowing for the rapid detection of any issues. The wired connection ensures stable data transmission from the second sensor to the transmitter unit. An irrigation fluid bag may consist of a conventional saline solution container, sterile solution bags used in urological procedures, or equivalent containers used in hospital settings for fluid administration. The term should also be understood broadly, encompassing both commercially available infusion bags and other compatible fluid delivery devices. The urine drainage bag can be any type of container used in bladder drainage devices, including conventional hospital-use collection bags or other equivalent containers adapted to collect fluids exiting the patient. The power source integrated into the transmitter unit ensures the device's operating autonomy, and may be based on rechargeable batteries or other equivalent solutions. The receiving unit is located in an area accessible to nursing staff and clearly displays, in real time, the status of the irrigation and drainage fluid bags, facilitating the simultaneous monitoring of multiple patients. The alarm triggers a signal when the irrigation fluid bag reaches a level below the programmed threshold or when the drainage bag reaches predetermined conditions. This functionality significantly improves treatment safety and minimizes the likelihood of errors or omissions by healthcare personnel. Overall, the device of the invention provides an efficient and reliable tool for monitoring irrigation therapies, reducing the workload of hospital staff, increasing the accuracy in monitoring treatments, and reinforcing patient safety. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of said description, in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented: Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of the first set of the irrigation and drainage fluid control device in patient treatment. Figure 2.- Shows a perspective view of the second set of the irrigation and drainage fluid control device in patient treatment. Figure 3.- Shows a perspective view of the receiving unit of the irrigation and drainage fluid control device in patient treatment. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 shows a view of a first assembly of an irrigation and drainage fluid control device for patient treatment. This device is applied to the irrigation bag, from which irrigation fluid is delivered to the patient, and to the drainage bag, which collects the patient's urine. The first assembly is adaptable to the irrigation bag and comprises a first coupling mechanism (14) for attachment to a fixed support, a first sensor (2) linked to the first coupling mechanism (14), and a first fixing element (15) linked to the first sensor (2) to which the irrigation bag can be attached. The first sensor (2) can measure the weight of the irrigation bag when it is attached to the first fixing element (15). Figure 2 shows a second assembly of the device of the invention, which is adaptable to the drainage bag. The second assembly comprises a second coupling mechanism (16) intended to be fixed to the same fixed support or to the other fixed support, a second sensor (3) linked to the second coupling mechanism (16), and a second fastening element (17) linked to the second sensor (3) to which the drainage bag can be attached, such that the second sensor (3) can measure the weight of the drainage bag when it is attached to the second fastening element (17). The device of the invention also comprises a transmitter unit (1) that is connected by a cable (4) to the first sensor (2) and to the second sensor (3) to receive the weight data captured by the sensors (2, 3) and that is configured to transmit said data (Figure 1). Figure 3 shows the receiver unit (5) suitable for placement in a nearby area accessible to nursing staff. It comprises a controller and an alarm element (7), which is wirelessly connected to the transmitter unit (1) to receive data transmitted from the transmitter unit (1) and generate an alarm based on predefined conditions. The receiver unit (5) also includes a display screen (6) to show the weight of the bags. The device of the invention further comprises a colorimetric sensor (8) attachable to a drainage tube (9) suitable for placement between the patient and the urine drainage bag, which is connected to the transmitting unit (1) by means of the cable (4), which is configured to analyze the color of the urine in the drainage tube (9) and transmit data associated with the color of the urine to the receiving unit (5) via the transmitting unit (1) to activate the warning element (7) in case of detecting a concentration of red color above a preset threshold. The transmitter unit (1) also includes a power source connected to the cable (4) to power the first and second sensors (2, 3) and the colorimetric sensor (8). In addition, the transmitter unit (1) includes an on / off switch (10), a connector (11) for connecting a USB charger, and a hook (12) or equivalent means for hanging the irrigation fluid bag. The transmitter unit (1) is connected to the sensors and receives the data collected by the sensors (2, 3, 8), and is also wirelessly connected to the receiver unit (5) to transmit this data to it. The fixed support can be, for example, an IV pole, the patient's bed, the patient's table, or an equivalent support that allows the irrigation and drainage bags to be suspended. To ensure the stability of the device, the coupling mechanisms (14, 16) preferably comprise fastening elements such as screws (13), clamps, clips, hooks, or adjustable pressure systems, which allow the transmitter unit (1) and the sensors (2, 3) to be adapted to different types of supports safely and reliably. In view of the figures discussed, it can be seen that the device of the invention comprises two main units: one located in the patient's room, the transmitting unit (1) and the receiving unit (5), located in an area of the nursing control. In a preferred embodiment, the second fixing element (17) linked to the second sensor (3) integrates a hole (18) that allows a urine drainage bag to be hung. The colorimetric sensor (8) detects shades indicative of possible complications. Weight and color data are transmitted to the transmitter unit (1) via cable (4), which in turn provides the necessary power through the power supply. In another mode of use, the receiving unit (5) can be configured to receive and manage signals from several transmitting units (1) associated with different patients, thus facilitating the simultaneous control of multiple treatments from a single monitoring point. The screen (6) is a display device, preferably of the LCD or TFT type, which allows real-time display of numerical values and device status messages, facilitating immediate reading of information by nursing staff. The controller is a programmable electronic circuit, usually implemented as a microcontroller or embedded processor, responsible for managing the acquisition of data from the sensors, processing the information, and coordinating the operation of the different elements of the device. The warning element (7) is a component designed to generate an alarm signal perceptible to the user when certain pre-programmed conditions are reached, with the use of piezoelectric buzzers for acoustic alarms or flashing LEDs as visual warnings being common in medical and safety devices. The colorimetric sensor (8) is an electronic device capable of analyzing the light reflected or transmitted by a fluid in order to determine its chromatic composition, thus allowing the detection of variations in tone indicative of possible complications; in the technique, for example, RGB sensors are used, widely used in liquid analysis and quality control. The first and second sensors (2, 3) are weight sensors that can be a transducer, also called a load cell, which converts the force exerted by an object into a proportional electrical signal, enabling the precise measurement of the weight of fluid or drainage bags. The switch (10) is an electromechanical component that allows an electrical circuit to be opened or closed manually, ensuring the device is switched on and off easily and safely.
Claims
1. A device for controlling irrigation and drainage fluids in the treatment of patients, applied to the irrigation bag from which irrigation fluid is directed to the patient and to the drainage bag that collects the patient's urine, characterized in that it comprises: a first assembly adaptable to the irrigation bag comprising: - a first coupling mechanism (14) intended to be fixed to a fixed support, - a first sensor (2) linked to the first coupling mechanism (14), - a first fixing element (15) linked to the first sensor (2) and to which the irrigation bag can be attached such that the first sensor (2) can measure the weight of the irrigation bag when it is attached to the first fixing element (15), a second assembly adaptable to the drainage bag comprising: - a second coupling mechanism (16) intended to be fixed to a fixed support, - a second sensor (3) linked to the second coupling mechanism (16),- a second fastening element (17) linked to the second sensor (3) to which the drainage bag can be attached such that the second sensor (3) can measure the weight of the drainage bag when attached to the second fastening element (17), a transmitter unit (1) connected by a cable (4) to the first sensor (2) and the second sensor (3) to receive the weight data captured by the sensors (2, 3) and configured to transmit said data, a receiver unit (5) suitable for placement in a nearby area accessible to nursing personnel, comprising a controller and an alarm element (7), which is wirelessly connected to the transmitter unit (1) to receive the data transmitted from the transmitter unit (1) and generate an alarm based on preset conditions.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmitter unit (1) is linked to the first assembly.
3. The device of claim 1,wherein the receiving unit (5) further comprises a display screen (6) for showing the weight of the bags.
4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a colorimetric sensor (8) attachable to a drainage tube (9) suitable for placement between the patient and the urine drainage bag, which is connected to the transmitting unit (1) via the cable (4), configured to analyze the color of the urine in the drainage tube (9) and transmit data associated with the urine color to the receiving unit (5) via the transmitting unit (1) to activate the alarm element (7) if a concentration of red exceeding a preset threshold is detected.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the transmitting unit (1) further comprises a power source connected to the cable (4) for powering the first and second sensors (2, 3) and the colorimetric sensor (8).