Medical suction device

Abstract

The barrel 30 of a suction pump 14 of this medical suction device 1 comprises a first valve part 36 that allows inflow of air from a front space 33 in a first ventilation passage 35 to a rear space 34 when a piston 50 moves rearward, and suppresses outflow of air from the rear space 34 to the front space 33 when the piston 50 moves forward. The piston 50 is provided with a second valve part 52 that allows outflow of air from the rear space 34 in a second ventilation passage 51 to the outside when the piston 50 moves forward, and suppresses inflow of air from the outside to the rear space 34 when the piston 50 moves rearward. The suction pump 14 is capable of generating negative pressure for suctioning a biological substance when the piston 50 moves rearward.

Description

Medical suction device

[0001] The present invention relates to a medical suction device for aspirating biological material from a living body.

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Various medical suction devices have been known for sucking biological materials (e.g., secretions, blood clots, phlegm, etc.) from living bodies (e.g., the oral cavity, nasal cavity, airways, etc.).

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 (Utility Model Registration No. 3142466) discloses a thrombus aspiration catheter device for inserting a thin tube called a catheter into a treatment site to remove thrombi that have accumulated in limbs such as the legs or arms, and aspirating the thrombus itself. The thrombus aspiration catheter device of Patent Document 1 includes a thrombus aspiration catheter (1) including a tubular body having an aspiration lumen (8) that penetrates from the base end to the tip, an aspiration syringe (6) that generates negative pressure, and a catheter connecting member having an internal lumen for connecting the internal spaces of the thrombus aspiration catheter (1) and the aspiration syringe (6).

[0004] Utility Model Registration No. 3142466

[0005] In a medical suction device for aspirating biological material from a living body, such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, a suction tool such as a suction syringe is used as a suction pump that generates negative pressure for aspirating the biological material. However, the inventors have found that such syringes have extremely high airtightness between the barrel and the gasket, and negative pressure may remain within the device for a long period of time even after the desired biological material has been aspirated, which may result in unintended aspirating of the biological material.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a medical suction device for suctioning biological materials from a living body, which is capable of appropriately adjusting the negative pressure generated in the device.

[0007] The above object is achieved by the following: A medical suction device for aspirating biological material from a living organism, the medical suction device comprising: a suction tube insertable into the living organism and having an opening at its tip for aspirating the biological material, a trap to which the base end of the suction tube is connected and capable of containing the biological material aspirated from the opening, and a suction pump connected to the trap and generating negative pressure for aspirating the biological material, the suction pump comprising: a barrel having a tubular portion; and a piston whose tip end is inserted into the barrel and movable within the barrel, the barrel comprising: a tip side wall portion provided across the tubular portion; a first air passage penetrating the tip side wall portion and communicating a front space and a rear space of the tip side wall portion within the barrel; and a first valve portion which allows air to flow in from the front space to the rear space in the first air passage when the piston moves rearward and which prevents air from flowing out from the rear space to the front space when the piston moves forward. the piston comprises a second air passage that connects the rear space with the outside, and a second valve portion that allows air to flow out of the rear space from the second air passage to the outside when the piston moves forward and suppresses air from flowing into the rear space from the outside when the piston moves backward; and the suction pump is capable of generating the negative pressure for suctioning the biological material by sucking air from the first air passage into the rear space when the piston moves backward.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the medical suction device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a suction pump of the medical suction device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the suction pump shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the suction pump shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified version of the suction pump shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the suction pump of the medical suction device of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the suction pump of the medical suction device of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the suction pump of the medical suction device of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the suction pump of the medical suction device of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a front view showing another embodiment of the medical suction device of the present invention. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the medical suction device shown in FIG. 13.

[0009] 1 to 5, the medical suction device of the present invention is a medical suction device 1 for aspirating biological material from a living organism, and includes a suction tube 11 that can be inserted into a living organism and has an opening (suction port) 10 at its tip for aspirating biological material, a trap 12 to which the base end of the suction tube 11 is connected and which can contain biological material aspirated through the opening 10, and a suction pump 14 that is connected to the trap 12 (via a connecting tube 13) and generates negative pressure for aspirating the biological material. The suction pump 14 includes a barrel 30 with a tubular portion 31, and a piston 50 whose tip end is inserted into the barrel 30 and is movable within the barrel 30. The barrel 30 includes a tip side wall portion 32 that is provided across the tubular portion 31, a first air passage 35 that penetrates the tip side wall portion 32 and communicates between a front space 33 and a rear space 34 of the tip side wall portion 32 inside the barrel 30, and a first valve portion 36 that allows air to flow from the front space 33 to the rear space 34 in the first air passage 35 (through the first air passage 35) (when the piston 50 moves rearward) and suppresses air from flowing out from the rear space 34 to the front space 33 (through the first air passage 35) (when the piston 50 moves forward). The piston 50 includes a second air passage 51 that connects the rear space 34 with the outside, and a second valve 52 that allows air to flow out of the rear space 34 to the outside through the second air passage 51 (when the piston 50 moves forward) and suppresses air from flowing in from the outside to the rear space 34 (through the second air passage 51) (when the piston 50 moves backward). The suction pump 14 draws air from the first air passage 35 into the rear space 34 when the piston 50 moves backward, thereby generating negative pressure for sucking biological material.

[0010] Such a medical suction device 1 is used to suction biological materials (e.g., secretions, blood, blood clots, sputum, etc.) from a living body (e.g., the oral cavity, nasal cavity, airways, blood vessels, etc.), but is not limited to the example shown here.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1 , the suction tube 11 includes a tube main body 15 and a tip portion 16 attached to the tip of the tube main body 15. In this embodiment, an opening (suction port) 10 for suctioning biological material is provided at the tip of the tip portion 16 of the suction tube 11. In this embodiment, the opening 10 is open at the tip surface of the suction tube 11 (tip portion 16). Note that the opening does not have to be open only at the tip surface of the suction tube, but may also be open at the tip surface and / or side surface of the tip portion of the suction tube. Furthermore, multiple openings may be provided.

[0012] Although not shown, a marker made of an X-ray (radiation-opaque) material may be provided on the distal end portion of the suction tube (particularly the tip or its vicinity) that is inserted into the living body. This allows the position of the suction tube within the living body to be confirmed by X-ray imaging. The proximal end of the suction tube 11 (tube main body 15) is connected to the trap 12 (tip-side connector 18), which will be described later.

[0013] The suction tube 11 (tube body 15 and tip 16) is preferably flexible (soft), and examples of materials for forming the tube include polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene), polyolefin elastomers (e.g., polyethylene elastomers, polypropylene elastomers, elastomers using ethylene-propylene copolymers, etc.), polyvinyl chloride, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyamide elastomers, polyurethanes, thermoplastic resins such as fluororesins, silicone rubber, etc.

[0014] 1 , the trap 12 accommodates the biological material sucked in through the opening 10 and includes a container 17, a distal connection portion 18, and a proximal connection portion 19. The distal connection portion 18 and the proximal connection portion 19 are each tubular portions that communicate between the inside and outside of the container 17. The distal connection portion 18 and the proximal connection portion 19 are not in direct communication with each other (in other words, they communicate with each other via the space within the container 17). Therefore, the biological material introduced into the container 17 from the distal connection portion 18 falls by gravity and is contained in the container 17, without flowing into the proximal connection portion 19.

[0015] In this embodiment, a filter 20 is attached to the lower part of the tip-side connector 18. This allows for the separation of aspirated biological materials. For example, when the medical suction device 1 is used to aspirate a blood clot, the liquid blood can be separated from the semi-solid blood clot. The trap 12 may also be provided with a venting mechanism (valve mechanism) to release positive and / or negative pressure generated within the medical suction device 1 (particularly, the portion from the front space 33 of the barrel 30 described below to the tip side (the opening (suction port) 10 side)). This prevents the adverse effects of unintended positive and / or negative pressure generated within the medical suction device 1. Such a venting mechanism may also be provided in a location other than the trap of the medical suction device.

[0016] The connecting tube 13 connects the trap 12 to the suction pump 14, which will be described later. The distal end of the connecting tube 13 is connected to the proximal connector 19 of the trap 12, and the proximal end is connected to the nozzle 37 of the suction pump 14. Like the suction tube 11 (tube body 15 and tip 16) described above, the connecting tube 13 is preferably flexible (soft), and may be made of the same material as the suction tube, but may be made of a different material because it is not inserted into a living body.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 , the suction pump 14 includes a barrel 30 having a cylindrical portion 31. The barrel 30 includes a distal wall portion 32 extending across the cylindrical portion 31. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 , the distal wall portion 32 is made of a disc-shaped member and is fixed to the distal end of the cylindrical portion 31. The barrel 30 also includes a proximal wall portion 38 fixed to the proximal end of the cylindrical portion 31. A through-hole 39 is provided at the center of the proximal wall portion 38. The inner shape (inner diameter) of the through-hole 39 is slightly larger than the outer shape (outer diameter) of the rod portion 53 of the piston 50 (described later). This allows gas to flow between the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 39 and the outer circumferential surface of the rod portion 53, and the through-hole 39 can guide the movement of the piston 50 (rod portion 53). The distal wall portion and the proximal wall portion may be integrally molded with the cylindrical portion. The barrel 30 also has a pair of protrusions 40 at its base end that protrude outward.

[0018] The barrel 30 has a tip opening and a nozzle portion 37 that tapers toward the tip opening. The base end of the connecting tube 13 is connected to the tip end of the nozzle portion 37. A front space 33 of the tip side wall portion 32 inside the barrel 30 communicates with the opening (suction port) 10 via the nozzle portion 37, the connecting tube 13, the trap 12, and the suction tube 11.

[0019] The barrel 30 has a first air passage 35 that penetrates the tip side wall 32 and connects a front space 33 and a rear space 34 of the tip side wall 32 inside the barrel 30. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the first air passage 35 is formed by eight through-holes (see Fig. 8) that are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the tip side wall 32.

[0020] The barrel 30 includes a first valve portion 36 that allows air to flow from the front space 33 to the rear space 34 through the first air passage 35 when the piston 50 moves rearward, and that prevents air from flowing out from the rear space 34 to the front space 33 through the first air passage 35 when the piston 50 moves forward. The first valve portion 36 includes a first valve member 41 as shown in FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the first valve portion 36 has a so-called umbrella valve structure in which the tip side wall portion 32 and the first valve member 41 cooperate with each other.

[0021] The first valve member 41 is made of an elastic material (e.g., rubber or elastomer) and includes an umbrella portion 42 and a stem portion 43. The first valve member 41 is fixed by inserting the stem portion 43 into a through-hole provided in the center of the tip side wall portion 32. The umbrella portion 42 of the first valve member 41 is formed to cover the first air passage 35 (here, all of the eight through-holes described above).

[0022] As shown in Fig. 4 , when the piston 50 moves rearward, the outer peripheral edge of the umbrella portion 42 of the first valve member 41 is lifted (separated from the base-end surface of the distal wall portion 32) by the pressure difference (air flow), allowing air to flow from the front space 33 to the rear space 34 in the first air passage 35. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 5 , when the piston 50 moves forward, the outer peripheral edge of the umbrella portion 42 of the first valve member 41 comes into close contact with the base-end surface of the distal wall portion 32, suppressing or preventing air from flowing out from the rear space 34 to the front space 33. This prevents unintended positive pressure from being generated in the portion of the front space 33 toward the distal end (the opening (inlet) 10), thereby avoiding the risk of air getting into the living body.

[0023] 3 to 5 , the suction pump 14 includes a piston 50 whose distal end portion is inserted into the barrel 30 and movable within the barrel 30. The piston 50 is provided at the distal end and includes a generally disk-shaped piston main body 54 and a rod-like (cylindrical) rod 53 connected to the proximal end of the piston main body 54. More specifically, the piston main body 54 includes a first member 55 and a second member 56, and a flange 58 of a second valve member 57 constituting a second valve unit 52 (described later) is sandwiched between the first member 55 and the second member 56. The proximal portion of the rod 53 extends to the outside through the through-hole 39 in the proximal wall 38 of the barrel 30, and a handle 59 for operation is provided at the proximal end.

[0024] An O-ring groove 60 is provided around the entire circumference in the center of the outer circumferential surface of the piston main body 54 (first member 55), and an O-ring 61 is fitted into the O-ring groove 60. The O-ring 61 ensures airtightness between the outer circumferential surface of the piston main body 54 and the inner circumferential surface of the tubular portion 31. This defines a rear space 34 of the tip side wall 32 between the base end surface of the tip side wall 32 and the tip surface of the piston main body 54.

[0025] The piston 50 has a second air passage 51 that connects the rear space 34 with the outside. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3, the second air passage 51 is provided so as to penetrate the center of the piston 50 (the piston body portion 54 and the rod portion 53) from the tip end to the base end.

[0026] The piston 50 includes a second valve portion 52 that allows air to flow from the rear space 34 to the outside in the second air passage 51 (through the second air passage 51) when the piston 50 moves forward, and that prevents air from flowing from the outside into the rear space 34 (through the second air passage 51) when the piston 50 moves rearward. The second valve portion 52 has a so-called duckbill valve structure that includes a second valve member 57 as shown in FIG.

[0027] The second valve member 57 is made of an elastic material (e.g., rubber or elastomer) and includes a pair of elastically deformable beak-shaped portions 62, with a slit 63 formed where the beak-shaped portions 62 meet (joint). The second valve member 57 is normally closed. An outwardly protruding flange portion 58 is provided at the tip (lower portion in FIG. 3 ) of the second valve member 57. The second valve member 57 is disposed in the second air passage 51 with the flange portion 58 sandwiched between the first member 55 and the second member 56 of the piston body 54.

[0028] The inner cavity of the second valve member 57 gradually narrows toward the base end side (upward in FIG. 3 ) of the piston 50. In this embodiment, the slit 63 opens when each of the pair of beak-shaped portions 62 elastically deforms, and closes when each of the pair of beak-shaped portions 62 elastically restores its original shape.

[0029] That is, as shown in Fig. 5, when the piston 50 moves forward, the pair of beak-shaped portions 62 of the second valve member 57 elastically deform due to the pressure difference (air flow), opening the slit 63 and allowing air to flow out from the rear space 34 to the outside in the second air passage 51. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 4, when the piston 50 moves rearward, the pair of beak-shaped portions 62 of the second valve member 57 elastically restore their original shape, closing the slit 63 and suppressing or preventing air from flowing in from the outside into the rear space 34 in the second air passage 51.

[0030] 2, the medical suction device 1 of this embodiment includes a biasing member 70 that biases the piston 50 rearward or forward relative to the barrel 30. In this embodiment, the biasing member 70 is a compression spring that biases the piston 50 rearward relative to the barrel 30. Specifically, the biasing member 70 of this embodiment is a compression spring that is disposed between the base end sidewall 38 of the barrel 30 and the handle portion 59 of the piston 50 and biases the piston 50 rearward relative to the barrel 30, in other words, in a direction that separates the piston 50 (piston main body 54) and the barrel 30 (distal end sidewall 32) from each other.

[0031] The operation of aspirating biological material from a living body using the medical aspirator 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0032] First, as shown in Fig. 5 , the handle portion 59 is operated to move the piston 50, which is held rearward (toward the base end) by the biasing member 70, forward (pushing it into the barrel 30). At this time, as shown in Fig. 5 , the first valve portion 36 prevents air from flowing from the rear space 34 to the front space 33 in the first air passage 35, and the second valve portion 52 allows air to flow from the rear space 34 to the outside in the second air passage 51. In other words, an increase in pressure in the front space 33 and the rear space 34 due to the forward movement of the piston 50 is suppressed or prevented.

[0033] Next, by releasing the handle 59 while moving the piston 50 forward, the piston 50 moves rearward due to the biasing force of the biasing member 70, as shown in FIG. 4 . At this time, as shown in FIG. 4 , the first valve 36 allows air to flow from the front space 33 to the rear space through the first air passage 35, while the second valve 52 prevents air from flowing from the outside into the rear space 34 through the second air passage 51. That is, by drawing air from the first air passage 35 into the rear space 34, negative pressure for aspirating biological material is generated in the front space 33 and further in the suction tube 11 communicating with the front space 33. In this embodiment, the biasing force of the biasing member 70 can be used to move the piston 50 rearward with a preset force, thereby making the generated negative pressure substantially uniform. Furthermore, excessive or insufficient force can be prevented from causing the piston 50 to move rearward.

[0034] The biasing member may be a tension spring that biases the piston 50 forward relative to the barrel 30. In other words, the biasing member may bias the piston 50 (piston main body 54) and the barrel 30 (tip side wall 32) in directions toward each other. This allows the piston 50 to move forward with a preset force, thereby preventing the pressure in the rear space 34 from increasing excessively beyond the gas flow rate permitted by the second air passage 51 and the second valve portion 52, and preventing the second air passage 51 from being blocked when the handle portion 59 is operated to push the piston 50 in (move it forward).

[0035] In the medical suction device 1 of this embodiment, the suction pump 14 exhausts air from the rear space 34 to the outside through the second air passage 51 when the piston 50 is moved forward. This allows the piston 50 to continuously reciprocate, and the negative pressure level (the magnitude of the negative pressure for aspirating biological material) can be adjusted by the continuous reciprocation of the piston 50. Furthermore, this structure eliminates the need to secure the desired volume of material to be aspirated at one time, as with conventional syringes, thereby enabling the suction pump 14 and, ultimately, the entire medical suction device 1 to be made smaller. Furthermore, unlike conventional syringes, when aspirating a volume exceeding the syringe's capacity, it is necessary to remove the syringe from the medical suction device in order to return the plunger, once moved to the rear end, to the front. This is no longer necessary.

[0036] Although not shown, the medical suction device 1 may be provided with a pressure sensor for checking the negative pressure level.

[0037] Furthermore, although the first valve unit 36 ​​of the medical suction device 1 of this embodiment suppresses the outflow of air from the rear space 34 to the front space 33 when the piston 50 moves forward, it does not completely block ventilation between the rear space 34 and the front space 33. In other words, when a pressure difference exists between the rear space 34 and the front space 33, the first valve unit 36 ​​allows ventilation in (through) the first ventilation path 35, thereby gradually eliminating such a pressure difference.

[0038] Furthermore, although second valve 52 of medical suction device 1 of this embodiment suppresses the inflow of air from the outside into rear space 34 when piston 50 moves rearward, it does not completely block ventilation between the outside and rear space 34. In other words, when a pressure difference exists between the outside and rear space 34, second valve 52 allows ventilation in (through) second ventilation path 51, thereby gradually eliminating such a pressure difference.

[0039] As a result, in the medical suction device 1, even if negative pressure remains in the medical suction device 1 (specifically, the forward space 33 communicating with the suction tube 11) after the desired suction of the biological material is completed, ventilation occurs from the outside through the second air vent path 51, the second valve unit 52, the rear space 34, the first valve unit 36, and the first air vent path 35, so that the residual negative pressure is gradually released, reducing the risk of unintended suction of biological material after the desired suction of the biological material is completed. As shown in FIG. 6 , a filter 64 may be provided in the second air vent path 51 (including the proximal opening of the second air vent path 51 that opens in the handle portion 59) to more reliably prevent foreign matter from entering the medical suction device 1 from the outside.

[0040] To achieve the desired negative pressure relief, it is preferable to appropriately set the characteristics of the first valve unit 36 ​​and the second valve unit 52. For example, it is desirable to appropriately set the specifications (shape, size, material, surface treatment, etc.) of the first valve member 41 and the design (position, size, etc.) of the first air passage 35 in the first valve unit 36, and the specifications (shape, size, material, surface treatment, etc.) of the second valve member 57 in the second valve unit 52. Furthermore, to achieve such a negative pressure relief effect, the sealing performance may be reduced compared to conventional valve structures (umbrella valves or duckbill valves). In the medical suction device 1 of this embodiment, the negative pressure level can be adjusted by the reciprocating motion of the piston 50 as described above. Therefore, by reducing the sealing performance of each valve unit, it is possible to compensate for the reduction in negative pressure generated by a single operation (rearward movement of the piston 50).

[0041] Furthermore, as in the suction pump 14a of the medical suction device shown in Figures 7 to 10, the first valve portion 36a may include a first ventilation portion 44 that allows ventilation between the rear space 34 and the front space 33 in the first ventilation path 35 (gradually eliminating the pressure difference between the rear space 34 and the front space 33), and the second valve portion 52a may include a second ventilation portion 65 that allows ventilation between the outside and the rear space 34 in the second ventilation path 51 (gradually eliminating the pressure difference between the outside and the rear space 34).

[0042] 7 and 8 , the first valve portion 36a of the suction pump 14a of this embodiment has grooves 45 formed in the base-end surface of the distal wall portion 32 that communicate with the first air passage 35 (here, each groove 45 communicates with four of the eight through-holes that make up the first air passage 35). These grooves 45 form first vent portions 44. That is, in the first valve portion 36a of the suction pump 14a, even when the outer peripheral edge of the umbrella portion 42 of the first valve member 41 is in close contact with the base-end surface of the distal wall portion 32, ventilation between the rear space 34 and the front space 33 in the first air passage 35 is permitted through the first vent portions 44 (each groove 45), and the pressure difference between the rear space 34 and the front space 33 is gradually eliminated. Note that, when the first air passage 35 is formed by a plurality of through-holes, the number of grooves 45 preferably accounts for 40 to 60 percent of the number of through-holes. Furthermore, such a first vent portion preferably has sufficient breathability to prevent unintended positive pressure from being generated in the portion from the front space of the barrel to the tip side (the opening (inlet) side) when the piston moves forward. In addition to such a first vent portion, a vent mechanism (valve mechanism) for eliminating positive pressure generated in the portion from the front space of the barrel to the tip side (the opening (inlet) side) may be provided in the medical suction device (e.g., a trap, etc.).

[0043] 9 and 10 , the second valve section 52a (second valve member 57a) of the suction pump 14a of this embodiment is provided with micro-through holes (micro-passages) 66 (three in this example) that penetrate the joint between the pair of beak-shaped sections 62 (connecting the front and rear) where the slit 63 is formed, and these micro-through holes 66 form a second vent section 65. That is, even when the slit 63 is closed, the second valve section 52a of the suction pump 14a allows ventilation between the outside and the rear space 34 in the second vent path 51 through the second vent section 65 (each micro-through hole 66), and the pressure difference between the outside and the rear space 34 is gradually eliminated. In this embodiment, a plurality of micro-through holes (micro-passages) 66, specifically three, are provided, but the number is preferably two to four.

[0044] The structures of the first and second vents of the suction pump are not limited to those described above, and various other structures may be employed. For example, the second vent may have a structure similar to that of the suction pump 14b shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 . The suction pump 14b includes a second vent 65b that opens into (communicates with) the O-ring groove 60 and communicates with the second vent passage 51, allowing the O-ring 61 to move forward and backward within the O-ring groove 60. In this embodiment, the O-ring 61, the O-ring groove 60, and the second vent 65b form the second valve 52b. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11 , when the piston 50 moves rearward, the O-ring 61 moves forward within the O-ring groove 60, closing the second vent 65b. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12 , when the piston 50 moves forward or when the pressure in the rear space 34 is lower than that of the outside, the O-ring 61 moves rearward within the O-ring groove 60, opening the second ventilation portion 65 b and allowing ventilation between the outside and the rear space 34.

[0045] The configurations of the first and second vents are not limited to those consisting of grooves or minute vent holes as described above, and various configurations can be adopted as long as the desired breathability (ability to eliminate pressure differences) is ensured. In addition to those involving the shapes of the grooves or minute vent holes described above, the first and second vents may also be configured by deliberately changing the specifications (shape, size, material, surface treatment, etc.) of the first and second valve members relative to the specifications conventionally employed so as to reduce sealing ability (ensuring breathability).

[0046] The structures of the first valve portion and the second valve portion are not limited to those described above (umbrella valve and duckbill valve), and any known valve structure may be used as appropriate.

[0047] 13 and 14 show another embodiment of the medical suction device of the present invention. The medical suction device described below has the same basic configuration as the above-described medical suction device 1, but differs in that it includes a first support member 71 and a second support member 72. Unless otherwise specified, components that are substantially similar to those of the above-described medical suction device 1 will be designated by the same or corresponding names and symbols, and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0048] The medical suction device 1c of this embodiment includes a biasing member 70 that biases the piston 50 backward or forward relative to the barrel 30, and further includes a first support member 71 connected to the barrel 30 and a second support member 72 connected to the piston 50. The medical suction device 1c can generate negative pressure by operating the first support member 71 and / or the second support member 72 and by using the biasing force of the biasing member 70 to reciprocate the piston 50. Note that "connected" here does not necessarily mean that the members are immovable relative to each other, but rather that they can be linked by operating the respective support members.

[0049] Furthermore, the medical suction device 1c of this embodiment can generate negative pressure by placing one of the first support member 71 or the second support member 72 on the support surface 73 and stepping on the other of the first support member 71 or the second support member 72 with a foot, thereby operating the first support member 71 and / or the second support member 72 and using the biasing force of the biasing member 70 to reciprocate the piston 50.

[0050] Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, the medical suction device 1c of this embodiment includes a first support member 71 and a second support member 72 that are connected to each other via a hinge portion 74 so as to be rotatable relative to each other. A barrel 30 is connected to the first support member 71. More specifically, a groove 75 is provided in the end of the first support member 71 opposite the side where the hinge portion 74 is provided. The tubular portion 31 of the barrel 30 is inserted into the groove 75, and the peripheral edge of the groove 75 and the protruding portion 40 of the barrel 30 are slidably connected. A piston 50 is connected to the second support member 72. More specifically, a handle portion 59 of the piston 50 is connected to the end of the second support member 72 opposite the side where the hinge portion 74 is provided.

[0051] In this embodiment, second support member 72 is placed on support surface 73, and first support member 71 is provided with operation plate 76 that can be stepped on between hinge portion 74 and the portion to which barrel 30 is connected as described above. In addition, in medical suction device 1 of this embodiment, biasing member 70 biases piston 50 rearward relative to barrel 30. In the normal state (a state in which no force is applied), as shown in FIG. 13 , the biasing force of biasing member 70 causes first support member 71 and second support member 72 to be in an open state (a state in which piston 50 (piston main body 54) and barrel 30 (tip side wall 32) are spaced apart from each other). By operating (stepping on) the operating plate portion 76 of the first support member 71 with the foot, the first support member 71 and the second support member 72 can be placed in a closed state (a state in which the piston 50 (piston main body portion 54) and the barrel 30 (tip side wall portion 32) are close to each other) as shown in Figure 14, and by utilizing such operation and the biasing force of the biasing member 70 to cause the piston 50 to move back and forth, negative pressure can be generated.

[0052] In this medical suction device 1, the operability of the medical suction device 1 is improved, and the operator can keep both hands free while performing the suction operation of the biological material, allowing them to perform other tasks (e.g., operating the suction tube 11, checking the pressure sensor, etc.), thereby more efficiently performing the suction operation of the biological material. Furthermore, in the medical suction device 1 of this embodiment, the negative pressure level can be adjusted by the continuous reciprocating motion of the piston 50 as described above, so being able to operate it with the foot in this way is a great advantage.

[0053] The medical suction device of the present invention is a suction pump, wherein the barrel includes a first air passage connecting a front space and a rear space in a distal wall portion of the barrel, and a first valve that allows air to flow from the front space to the rear space through the first air passage when the piston moves rearward and prevents air from flowing out from the rear space to the front space when the piston moves forward, and the piston includes a second air passage connecting the rear space to the outside and a second valve that allows air to flow from the rear space to the outside through the second air passage when the piston moves forward and prevents air from flowing in from the outside to the rear space when the piston moves rearward, and in this suction pump, air is drawn into the rear space through the first air passage when the piston moves rearward, thereby generating negative pressure for suctioning biological material. This allows the medical suction device to appropriately adjust the negative pressure generated for suctioning biological material.

[0054] The medical suction device of the present invention is embodied as follows: (1) A medical suction device for suctioning biological material from a living organism, the medical suction device comprising: a suction tube insertable into the living organism and having an opening at its tip for suctioning the biological material; a trap connected to the base end of the suction tube and capable of containing the biological material suctioned through the opening; and a suction pump connected to the trap and generating negative pressure for suctioning the biological material, the suction pump comprising: a barrel having a tubular portion; and a piston whose tip end is inserted into the barrel and movable within the barrel, the barrel having a tip side wall portion extending across the tubular portion, a first air passage penetrating the tip side wall portion and communicating a space in front of the tip side wall portion with a space behind the tip side wall portion within the barrel, and a front air passage a first valve portion that allows air to flow in from the front space to the rear space in the first air passage when the piston moves rearward and that prevents air from flowing out from the rear space to the front space when the piston moves forward, wherein the piston comprises a second air passage that connects the rear space to the outside, and a second valve portion that allows air to flow out from the rear space in the second air passage to the outside when the piston moves forward and that prevents air from flowing in from the outside to the rear space when the piston moves rearward, and the suction pump is capable of generating the negative pressure for suctioning the biological material by sucking air from the first air passage into the rear space when the piston moves rearward.

[0055] This medical suction device is a suction pump, the barrel includes a first air passage connecting a front space and a rear space in the distal end wall portion of the barrel, and a first valve that allows air to flow from the front space to the rear space in the first air passage when the piston moves rearward and prevents air from flowing out from the rear space to the front space when the piston moves forward, the piston includes a second air passage connecting the rear space to the outside and a second valve that allows air to flow from the rear space to the outside in the second air passage when the piston moves forward and prevents air from flowing in from the outside to the rear space when the piston moves rearward, such suction pump is capable of generating negative pressure for suctioning biological material by drawing air into the rear space from the first air passage when the piston moves rearward, thereby enabling the medical suction device to appropriately adjust the negative pressure generated for suctioning biological material.

[0056] The above medical suction device may also be implemented as follows. (2) In the medical suction device described in (1) above, it is preferable that the suction pump exhausts air from the rear space to the outside through the second air passage when the piston is moved forward, and that the negative pressure level can be adjusted by the continuous reciprocating motion of the piston. (3) In the medical suction device described in (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that the first valve unit includes a first air vent that allows ventilation between the rear space and the front space in the first air passage, and the second valve unit includes a second air vent that allows ventilation between the outside and the rear space in the second air passage. (4) In the medical suction device described in any of (1) to (3) above, it is preferable that the medical suction device includes a biasing member that biases the piston backward or forward relative to the barrel. (5) In the medical suction device described in (4) above, it is preferable that the biasing member biases the piston backward relative to the barrel. (6) In the medical suction device described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the medical suction device preferably includes a biasing member that biases the piston backward or forward relative to the barrel, and further includes a first support member connected to the barrel and a second support member connected to the piston, and the negative pressure can be generated by operating the first support member and / or the second support member to reciprocate the piston using the biasing force of the biasing member. (7) In the medical suction device described in (6) above, it is preferable that the negative pressure can be generated by placing one of the first support member or the second support member on a support surface and stepping on the other of the first support member or the second support member with a foot to operate the first support member and / or the second support member to reciprocate the piston using the biasing force of the biasing member.

Claims

1. A medical suction device for aspirating biological material from a living organism, the medical suction device comprising: a suction tube insertable into the living organism and having an opening at its tip for aspirating the biological material; a trap to which the base end of the suction tube is connected and capable of containing the biological material aspirated from the opening; and a suction pump connected to the trap and generating negative pressure for aspirating the biological material; the suction pump comprising: a barrel having a tubular portion; and a piston whose tip end is inserted into the barrel and movable within the barrel; the barrel comprising: a tip side wall portion provided across the tubular portion; a first air passage penetrating the tip side wall portion and communicating a front space and a rear space of the tip side wall portion within the barrel; and a first valve portion which allows air to flow in from the front space to the rear space in the first air passage when the piston moves rearward, and which prevents air from flowing out from the rear space to the front space when the piston moves forward; the piston comprises a second air passage that connects the rear space with the outside, and a second valve portion that allows air to flow out of the rear space from the second air passage to the outside when the piston moves forward and that prevents air from flowing into the rear space from the outside when the piston moves backward; and the suction pump is capable of generating the negative pressure for suctioning the biological material by sucking air from the first air passage into the rear space when the piston moves backward.

2. The medical suction device of claim 1, wherein the suction pump discharges air from the rear space to the outside through the second air passage when the piston is moved forward, and the negative pressure level can be adjusted by the continuous reciprocating movement of the piston.

3. A medical suction device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first valve portion has a first ventilation portion that allows ventilation between the rear space and the front space in the first ventilation path, and the second valve portion has a second ventilation portion that allows ventilation between the outside and the rear space in the second ventilation path.

4. The medical suction device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a biasing member that biases the piston backward or forward relative to the barrel.

5. The medical suction device according to claim 4, wherein said biasing member biases said piston rearward relative to said barrel.

6. The medical suction device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the medical suction device comprises a biasing member that biases the piston backward or forward relative to the barrel, and further comprises a first support member connected to the barrel and a second support member connected to the piston, and wherein the negative pressure can be generated by operating the first support member and / or the second support member to reciprocate the piston using the biasing force of the biasing member.

7. A medical suction device as described in claim 6, in which the negative pressure can be generated by placing one of the first support member or the second support member on a support surface and stepping on the other of the first support member or the second support member with a foot, thereby operating the first support member and / or the second support member and using the biasing force of the biasing member to reciprocate the piston.

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